Recap the meltdowns, dummy spits and awkward exchanges from the 2019 Australian Open
It was one of the most action-packed Australian Opens in history. And we aren’t just talking about the tennis. Last year’s event provided plenty of epic meltdowns and dummy spits. But what were the best of them?
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It was one of the most action-packed Australian Opens in history. And we aren’t just talking about the tennis.
Last year’s two weeks of mayhem at Melbourne Park included epic dummy spits, player meltdowns, awkward handshakes and plenty more.
Will that be topped in 2020?
In anticipation of this year’s tournament, look back at the jaw dropping moments from 2019.
CARRENO BUSTA’S STUNNING MELTDOWN
If you lined up all the tennis dummy spits from the past decade, this one would be a walk-up start for a top three finish.
Pablo Carreno Busta lost his mind against Kei Nishikori after being denied a point during the fifth set tie-breaker.
At the time, the Spaniard was leading 8-5 but following the controversial call, he coughed up the next five points to lose the match.
After an initial spray directed at the umpire, Carreno Busta then followed that up by hurling his bag across the court as he left the stadium.
He then unloaded another barrage of abuse towards the umpire as a chorus of boos rung out from the crowd. In his post-match press conference, Carreno Busta was close to tears.
PUTINTSEVA BECOMES THE ULTIMATE VILLAIN
She may not be the biggest name in women’s tennis but Yulia Putintseva certainly made a lasting impact on Melbourne Park.
It started after her win over Barbora Strycova, in which the two players embraced in one of the most awkward handshakes the Open has ever seen.
“I like to squeeze hand normal, but she squeezed me, like, hardcore! These bones — oww! Oww!” Strycova said after the match.
“I was like, ‘Why’d you do that?’ She said, ‘You squeezed my hand.’ I said, ‘I squeezed your hand normal! Just let it be.’
“I didn’t really care. It’s nothing big. Just, why?”
But it didn’t stop there for the Kazakh player.
Following her second-round loss to Belinda Bencic, Putintseva was clearly disappointed with the crowd.
She then delivered a middle finger salute as she disappeared.
LLEYTON HEWITT V BERNARD TOMIC
It was the feud that had the entire tennis world talking.
Following his first round exit at the hands of Marin Cilic, Bernard Tomic went nuclear in his post-match press conference, unloading on Lleyton Hewitt.
Tomic said Hewitt was not liked by key Australian players, accused him of playing favourites with handing out wildcards, called for him to be sacked as Davis Cup captain and accused him of being selfish by continuing to play doubles at major events.
Hewitt then fired back, declaring Tomic would never play Davis Cup again under his leadership and that “blackmail and physical threats” had left their relationship irreparable.
When asked why he thought Tomic behaved the way he did, Hewitt suggested it was “maybe his upbringing”.
“I don’t know what’s happened – why Bernie is Bernie,” he said.
“I have no idea. It’s probably his upbringing, I’d say, has a big part to do with it.”
That didn’t sit well with Tomic, who fired back one more time.
“I have never threatened his family. (I’ve) got nothing to do with your family and I don’t care what’s wrong with you, you liar.”
‘I DON’T KNOW, BUT F**K MAN, THIS IS A JOKE’
With his ranking having slipped outside the top 50, Nick Kyrgios received no protection when the Australian Open draw came out.
And it proved costly, with him copping a first round meeting against Milos Raonic.
To make matters worse, the Aussie was battling a knee issue.
As the match slipped away, he was picked up by the on-court microphones letting the trainer know exactly what the problem was.
“I don’t know how it could get so painful in the space of f**king three games,” he said.
“I’m trying my nuts off, and when I try my nuts off, f**k my knee starts hurting.
“I don’t know, but f**k man, this is a joke.
“I’ve taken four tablets and it’s gotten worse. It’s f**king terrible. By this stage, it’s f**ked.
“It feels like dogs**t, mate. Absolute dogs**t.”
ZVEREV’S UNLEASHES ON RACQUETS
Rising German star Alexander Zverev hit his match with big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic as a raging favourite.
So when he was down 1-6 1-6 in less than an hour, it was clear the frustration levels had reached boiling point.
After giving up his second break of serve in the second set, Zverev lost it – and then some.
He smashed his racquet nine times – five on one side and four on the other.
WERE YOU RESTING YOUR EYES?
There is no doubt about it. Jet lag is nasty.
But no matter how bad you’ve got it, it is always a good idea to try and stay awake when you’re in the presence of tennis royalty.
One Italian journalist found that out the hard way on day one of the Open, when he was busted falling asleep in Rafael Nadal’s press conference.
Luckily Nadal saw the funny side and let the reporter off the hook with the old ‘just resting your eyes’ routine.
“I know, you were closing your eyes to be more focused on what I was saying,” Nadal said while laughing.
FAN V FAN CLASH IN HEADBAND BATTLE ROYAL
There was some serious drama on display when Aryna Sabalenka decided to throw her headband into the crowd after her win over Katie Boulter.
Two female fans locked horns over the souvenir, with both refusing to let go.
After a prolonged standoff, security had to be called to the court and both were ejected.
In a valuable lesson about sharing, neither woman ended up with the headband.
BIRD S*** HALTS PROCEEDINGS
The day four night session at the Australian Open broke all kinds of records last year, with Joanna Konta and Garbine Muguruza finding out the hard way that Melbourne Park never sleeps.
Thanks to a five set classic between Alexander Zverev and Jeremy Chardy, the two were unable to hit the court for their match until 12:30am.
There was a back-up plan, with Australian Open officials at one stage attempting to move the match to Show Court Three.
However, due to a large amount of bird poo on the court and not enough staff to clean it up, the switch couldn’t be made.
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TSITSIPAS’ FINED AFTER STUNNING OUTBURST
“It was (the) heat of the moment. I said some really bad things”.
You certainly did, Stefanos Tsitsipas!
After being given a code violation in the third set of his match with Nikoloz Basilashvili, Tsitsipas teed off in Greek, shouting, “That w------ there has f----- me. F--- your house.”
Despite being in a different language, it didn’t stop the chair umpire from giving him another reprimand.
Tsitsipas was quick to apologise after the match.