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“Utter madness”: Australian Open thriller drags past 3am

<p dir="ltr">Day five of the Australian Open has seen a nail-biting match between Russian champion Daniil Medvedev and Finnish player Emil Ruusuvuori drag on until 3:30am. </p> <p dir="ltr">The epic match would’ve lasted even longer, if Medvedev didn’t blow away Ruusuvuori in the fifth set, claiming his victory and winning 3-6 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-0.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before the Australian Open began, the ATP and WTA introduced new rules that would force night sessions to begin prior to 7:30pm and prevent matches from going on court after 11pm.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the Australian Open is not bound by these rules meaning that when Medvedev and Ruusuvuori stepped on court at 11:15pm, there was little chance of them finishing anytime before the early hours of the morning. </p> <p dir="ltr">The match was already in its fourth hour before the fifth set began at 3:20am, as Ruusuvuori lost his steam in the final set. </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking after the match, Medvedev paid tribute to the fans who stuck around, saying he wouldn’t be among them if he didn’t have to play.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Honestly guys, I would not be here,” Medvedev said. “Thanks for staying.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“If I’d have been a tennis fan and I had come, at 1 I’d be ‘okay, let’s go home, we’ll catch the end of the match on the TV, we’ll watch 30 minutes and then go to bed’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I guess thanks guys, you are strong.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sports fans and commentators echoed Medvedev’s statements online, as journalist Ryan Sidle wrote on X that the match has descended into “utter madness”. </p> <p dir="ltr">The epic showdown now makes it two years in a row that an Australian Open match has gone into the early hours of the morning, with Thanasi Kokkinakis and Andy Murray taking their AO battle to 4am in the 2023 competition. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Medvedev’s emotional plea “on behalf of every kid in the world”

<p>Russian tennis champion Daniil Medvedev has made an emotional plea for peace "on behalf of every kid in the world" as his country continues to wage war on Ukraine. </p> <p>His touching statement comes on the back of a poignant speech he gave at the Australia Open after losing to Rafael Nadal, in which he made a startling declaration at a press conference.</p> <p>"It's going to be a little bit of a new press conference because I'm going to start with short or long, I don't know, story of a young kid who dreamed about big things in tennis," Medvedev told reporters.</p> <p>He went on to admit "the kid stopped dreaming", after saying he felt discouraged by the crowd at the Australian Open games, who unleashed a barrage of boos towards the Russian whenever he came to the court.  </p> <p>With the same sentiment, the tennis star took to Instagram to have his say on Russia's war on Ukraine, and pleaded for peace between the two countries for the sake of innocent young children. </p> <p>"Do you all remember what I have said after Australian Open final?" Medvedev wrote on Instagram on Monday.</p> <p>"This story was just about me, my childhood dreams."</p> <p>"And today I want to speak on behalf of every kid in the world," Medvedev added.</p> <p>Medvedev addressed the ongoing conflict between the two countries which was orchestrated by president Vladimir Putin, and has led to the hundreds of death and condemnation from around the globe.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CafU02gomBS/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CafU02gomBS/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Medvedev Daniil (@medwed33)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"They all have dreams, their life is just starting, so many nice experiences to come: first friends, first great emotions. Everything they feel and see is for the first time in their lives.</p> <p>"That's why I want to ask for peace in the world, for peace between countries.</p> <p>"Kids are born with inner trust in the world, they believe so much in everything: in people, in love, in safety and justice, in their chances in life.</p> <p>"Let's be together and show them that it's true, cause every kid shouldn't stop dreaming."</p> <p>He then translated his thoughts into his native Russian language and shared them to Instagram, where the post has racked up over 100,000 likes in a matter of hours. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @medwed33</em></p>

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Medvedev "hurt" by "disrespectful" Aussie Open crowd

<p>World number two tennis champion Daniil Medvedev has revealed the Australian Open crowd crushed his spirit, making him reconsider his tennis career. </p><p>The Russian was defeated by Rafael Nadal in an epic final at Melbourne Park, in front of a crowd who vocalised their support for Nadal. </p><p>Appearing at an emotional press conference after the match, Medvedev told the media he would share an anecdote about his tennis dreams as a child. </p><p>"It's going to be a little bit of a new press conference," he began. </p><p>He went on to explain his early childhood and dreams for tennis success, and the moments where he doubted if should continue with the sport. </p><p>“I’m just talking about few moments where the kid stopped dreaming, and today was one of them. I’m not going to really tell why,” he said, adding that from now on he would only play for himself and his family.</p><p>“I’m going to say it like this. If there is a tournament on hard courts in Moscow, before Roland Garros or Wimbledon, I’m going to go there even if I miss the Wimbledon or Roland Garros or whatever. “</p><p>"The kid stopped dreaming. The kid is going to play for himself. That’s it. That’s my story.”</p><p>A reporter questioned whether Medvedev was taking issue with the crowd's response, which the tennis champ refused to answer. </p><p>However, he has previously made it clear that he was not disappointed with how he played during the Open, and answered the reporter's question by blasting the crowd. </p><p>“I’m just going to give one small example. Before Rafa serves even in the fifth set, there would be somebody, and I would even be surprised, like one guy screaming, ‘C’mon, Daniil’,” he said.</p><p>“A thousand people would be like, ‘Tsss, tsss, tsss’. That sound. Before my serve, I didn’t hear it. It’s disappointing. It’s disrespectful, it’s disappointing. I’m not sure after 30 years I’m going to want to play tennis."</p><p>“Again, the kid that was dreaming is not anymore in me after today. It will be tougher to continue tennis when it’s like this.”</p><p>When Rafael Nadal was questioned about Medvedev's struggles with the crowd, he spoke fondly of his opponent. </p><p>“Of course it’s better to have the crowd on your side,” Nadal said. “Tonight was crazy for me. But I really believe he has a great future in front and he is going to feel this love of the crowd in the future because he deserves it.”</p><p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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"Low IQ": Medvedev beats Kyrgios then takes a swipe at unruly crowd

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Russian world number two Daniil Medvedev had a go at tennis fans after his four-set defeat of Australian star Nick Kyrgios.</p> <p>Medvedev prevailed 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in front of a capacity crowd on Rod Laver Arena.</p> <p>Medvedev did his best to block out the crowd's loud antics during the match, even when they were whipped into a frenzy by Kyrgios. However, Medvedev's poise broke post-match in interviews, taking issue with some people in the crowd for booing or cheering between serves when two-times Australian Open champion turned tennis presenter Jim Courier asked him how he kept his emotions in check.</p> <p>"Sorry, I can't hear you," Medvedev said. "Show some respect for Jim Courier, he won here. Let him speak, please, if you respect somebody, at least respect Jim Courier."</p> <p>Medvedev then further admonished the Melbourne Park crowd in an interview with Eurosport.</p> <p>"Break point, second serve and people are cheering like you already made a double fault. That's just disappointing," he said.</p> <p>"It's not everybody who is doing it but those who are doing it probably have a low IQ.</p> <p>"It's not good for the game I think to do it, because probably people don't know, but when you're getting ready for the second serve, it's a tough moment."<br />Despite admitting the need for the crowd to observe etiquette at times, Kyrgios said he thought rowdy crowds were good for the evolution of the sport.</p> <p>"I thought the atmosphere was awesome," Kyrgios said.</p> <p>"You've got, like, you know, the most entertaining player playing in his home slam on Rod Laver, you'd expect the crowd to be like that.<br />Karl Stefanovic appeared to take issue with the Russian tennis star's comments, as he blasted Medvedev on the<span> </span><em>Today Show</em><span> </span>on Friday morning.</p> <p>“Daniil Medvedev, my accountant has a better personality,” Karl said.</p> <p>“Daniil Medvedev, he makes Ivan Lendl look like Beyonce. Daniil Medvedev,<span> </span><em>Terminator 4</em><span> </span>had more facial expressions.”</p> <p>He added: “Insulting the fans like that – they weren’t actually booing him. He misunderstood what was happening.”</p>

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