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Aussie tennis great fumes at unforgivable Ash Barty slap

Ash Barty has been done dirty with one detail from Alex de Minaur’s outstanding French Open campaign causing outrage.

Tyson OttoTyson Otto
@tottodtsport
2 min read
June 5, 2024 - 10:27AM
Alex de Minaur's awesome act for little legend

It’s the disrespect that is understandably triggering Ash Barty fans the most.

The Aussie champ appeared to have been forgotten by international broadcaster Tennis Channel as Alex de Minaur celebrated his special moment at the French Open on Tuesday morning.

The top-ranked Aussie will on Thursday morning face Alexander Zverev in the final eight at Roland Garros after recording his fifth win against a top 10 opponent this year, when he knocked out Daniil Medvedev.

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De Minaur had never made it past the second round on the Paris clay before this year, winning just three of his previous 10 matches.

He also became the first Australian man to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.

Rennae Stubbs has got Ash Barty's back. Photo: Twitter, Rennae Stubbs.
Rennae Stubbs has got Ash Barty's back. Photo: Twitter, Rennae Stubbs.

It’s this statistic that the tennis world seems to be getting wrong.

The Tennis Channel was guilty of thinking de Minaur’s achievement was the first time Australia has celebrated a French Open quarter-finalist in 20 years — mistakenly forgetting Barty and former French Open runner-up Sam Stosur.

Aussie doubles champ Rennae Stubbs, who also previously coached Serena Williams, was among those to chastise the tennis broadcaster for its mistake.

Stubbs posted a photo of de Minaur’s post-match on court interview where de Minaur’s bio showed no respect to Stosur and Barty, who won the tournament in 2019, her first career slam.

Rennae Stubbs coaches Serena Williams. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images.
Rennae Stubbs coaches Serena Williams. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images.
Australia's Samantha Stosur, AFP PHOTO BERTRAND GUAY.
Australia's Samantha Stosur, AFP PHOTO BERTRAND GUAY.

“HUGE congrats to @alexdeminaur so happy for you mate,” Stubbs wrote.

“BUT @TennisChannel Demon is the first Aussie MALE since Hewitt. If u recall

@bambamsam30 did this a whole lot of times after 2004. Like finals, semis etc. So can we please get those graphics right. Thanks.

“Oh and @ashbarty won the whole thing!”

Unfortunately, the Tennis Channel was far from the only one to make the mistake.

De Minaur, meanwhile, has much more important things to worry about, with other records in his sights.

A win over Zverev would see him become the first Aussie man into the French Open semis since 1997.

He is already guaranteed to climb up to at least No. 9 on the ATP Rankings when it is re-adjusted on Monday — and has a chance to climb much higher with another couple wins.

Facing Zverev, who remains a controversial figure on the ATP Tour, de Minaur will have Australia cheering him on — and most of the world.

Zverev has been allowed to continue to play on the international circuit despite an ongoing court case where he has been accused of intentional bodily harm and intentional choking of his previous partner Brenda Patea.

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Originally published as Aussie tennis great fumes at unforgivable Ash Barty slap

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/tennis/aussie-tennis-great-fumes-at-unforgivable-ash-barty-slap/news-story/bed3a67a123310acb99579c73d272332