Australian Open 2020: Coco Gauff snubs legend; Serena’s koala tribute
The coach of Dayana Yastremska produced the perfect online response to doubters in the wake of the growing furore over the Ukrainian teen’s leg injury. IT’S THE SCORE ON DAY FOUR.
Tennis
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The use of a good hashtag is sometimes underrated.
An excellent example has emerged in the spicy feud between Dayana Yastremska and Caroline Wozniacki.
The war started when Woza accused her Ukranian opponent of faking an injury during their second round match in an attempt to disrupt the Dane’s rhythm as she closed in on victory.
Watch over 50 sports LIVE on Kayo! Stream to your TV, mobile, tablet or computer. Just $25/month, cancel anytime. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Just to shut some people up and end this useless convo. Dayana was really struggling since days with her leg, but since y’all are all doctors and coaches you know better then she herself or our whole team who’s working with her. #focusOnYourself
— sascha Bajin (@BigSascha) January 22, 2020
Afterwards Woza didn’t hold back and Yastremska’s coach Sascha Bajin took to Twitter to fire some bullets in defence of his wounded charge who he claimed had been battling a leg injury.
“Dayana was really struggling since days with her leg, but since y’all are all doctors and coaches you know better then she herself or our whole team who’s working with her” Bajin wrote.
He then added the perfect hashtag - #focusOnYourself
TEEN SNUBS LEGEND
Coco Gauff gets a free pass for most things given her title as the next big thing in women’s tennis.
The fact she’s 15 and has become everyone’s favourite player means a snub of a former great can be put down to an innocent youthful error.
Gauff crossed paths with former champion Justine Henin in the corridors of Melbourne Park and gave her fresh air.
Fellow legend Martina Navratilova took great delight in telling the story of the snub on Eurosport.
“She didn’t even look at you, I can’t believe this!” Navratilova said with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Henin replied: “I didn’t even notice but it’s normal she doesn’t even recognise me because she wasn’t born when I won here.”
Henin won seven grand slams throughout her career including the 2004 Australian Open crown. Gauff was born a couple of months later in March of that year.
Navratilova didn’t want to let it go, adding: “She looks into the camera. She doesn’t look at you, it’s amazing. You should have stopped her and told her, ‘Hey listen, I won seven grand slam titles’.”
KOALA LOU I DO LOVE YOU
They’re the nameless furry friends joining Serena Williams in the third round of the Australian Open.
In tribute to the thousands of koalas killed or injured in Australia’s bushfire crisis, the 23-time grand slam champion is donning two of the Australian marsupials in art form on her long, artistic nails.
While the other eight are flourished with diamantes and glossy polish, two are reserved for the intricate koala designs, one complete with a red bow.
“Those poor koala bears,” Williams said. “I have a girl koala and a guy koala.”
“No (they don’t have names). But the girl is on the left and the guy is on the right.”
In Auckland a fortnight ago Williams donated her winnings ($63,000) to victims of the horrific bushfires.
MOTHER BLOODY RUSSIA!
Daniil Medvedev doesn’t associate the Australian Open with hot weather like everyone else, he has a much more personal link.
When the Russian thinks about being at Melbourne Park he relates it to a blood nose.
The No.4 seed was forced to take a medical time-out during his second-round match against Pedro Martinez to deal with some claret coming from his nose.
It turns out that the last time it happened to him on court was at last year’s Open.
“Let’s say it happens maybe two times a year or maybe once,” Medvedev said. “Like, I remember it actually happened last year Australian Open in first round.
“I think it was the only time last year, so it can happen sometimes but it’s nothing.”
Medvedev said the issue was totally random and not tension related: “No, no, not at all. If it would be, I would be bleeding every match I play.”
HOBART>MELBOURNE
It’s not a sporting event in Melbourne without the weather being the main topic of conversation.
Normally we’re obsessed with the wet bulb meter at the Open and worrying about players keeling over because of the heat.
Not this year with the world media resorted to asking players if they’d ever experienced more bizarre weather at a tournament.
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic had a very clever reply: “Yes I played in Hobart.”
The No.6 seed went on to say she was happy to get her match out of the way given the combination of sun, rain and dust which was flying around.
“I’m super happy to get the match out of the way,” Bencic said. “It was sometimes sunny and then suddenly was almost raining. Then windy.”
GRAND
Elina Svitolina came to the rescue of one of her fans who had a ticket to the wrong court for her second round match. The Ukranian No.5 seed noticed her fan’s anguish on Twitter and sent a note saying she’d arrange new tickets for them.
SLAM
The weather watchers were off their game at Melbourne Park. It was pretty obvious early there was some crazy weather happening but officials kept the roof open at Rod Laver Arena only to be caught out at a crucial time in the Tomljanovic/Muguruza match.
THE WHISPER
Plenty of murmuring among former Davis Cup types about the higher than normal amount of bronze required to cater for a Hall of Fame statue which will be unveiled in Melbourne Park next week.
Originally published as Australian Open 2020: Coco Gauff snubs legend; Serena’s koala tribute
Tennis star goes nuclear in ugly tirade
An American tennis star has been widely condemned after he launched an expletive outburst at a chair umpire with video going viral.
Tennis star accidentally sparks racism storm
Spanish tennis star Paula Badosa has been slammed on social media after she was accused of making a racist pose in a restaurant.