Australian Open: Daniil Medvedev booed off court after umpire attack

Tennis star Daniil Medvedev has gone even further to turn Australia against him following his furious verbal attack on a chair umpire.

Daniil Medvedev absolutely losing it!

Rafael Nadal will meet Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final on Sunday night after the Russian star put on an pyrotechnic display on his way to a heated semi-final win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Nadal earlier triumphed 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-3 against Matteo Berrettini in a gripping four set battle.

Nobody could have predicted what came afterwards when Medvedev stepped onto the court.

His 7-6 4-6 6-4 6-1 victory has been overshadowed by a moment where he lost the plot in an angry verbal attack on the chair umpire.

Earlier, Wildcard Aussies Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler couldn’t quite get the job done in the mixed doubles final against fifth seeds Kristina Mladenovic from France and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig but did themselves proud after coming from nowhere.

Tsitsipas swipes Medvedev over umpire tirade

Daniil Medvedev has suffered a complete meltdown in an extraordinary semi-final win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

He looked rattled when he returned to the court to be greeted by a chorus of boos from the crowd at the end of the second set, but he regathered his composure to take the third set 6-4.

Medvedev launched into an angry tirade at the chair umpire after he lost his serve late in the second set.

After first complaining about fans yelling out during his serve, Medvedev turned his fury towards the umpire when he continued to complain about Tsitsipas appearing to be gaining an advantage from coaching advice coming from his father in his players box.

Medvedev screamed at the chair umpire to “look at me” at one point and repeatedly asked the umpire if he was “stupid”.

Tsitsipas fired a parting shot at Medvedev in his post match press conference, attacking the 25-year-old’s brash reputation.

“It’s funny. I don’t pay attention to the stuff,” he said of Medvedev’s blow up.

“I know players like to do this stuff to throw you off mentally. It could be maybe a tactic. It’s all right. He’s not the most mature person anyways.”

Despite the extraordinary blow up, Medvedev was not given a code violation for attacking the official.

Daniil Medvedev abuses the umpire. Photo: Twitter.

“Are you mad? Are you mad? His father can coach every point,” he said in a tirade caught on TV cameras.

“Are you stupid? His father can talk every point? His father can talk every point? Answer my question. Will you answer my question. Will you answer my question? Can you answer my question? Can you answer my question, please? Can his father talk every point?”

He went on to say to the umpire: “Oh my god. Oh my god, you are so bad, man. How can you be so bad in semi-final your answer? Look at me. I’m talking to you!”.

Medvedev then attacked the umpire again when Tsitsipas wrapped up the second set in the following service game.

He went at the umpire furiously before storming off the court at the end of the set, calling the official a “small cat”.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev argues with the umpire. Photo by MICHAEL ERREY / AFP.

He continued to demand the umpire give Tsitsipas a code violation.

“You understand Greek? You understand Greek? Next time it should be a code violation,” he said.

“If you don’t, you are, how can I call it, a small cat. Repeat the answer to my question. Will you answer my question?”

Tsitsipas has received several warnings this tournament for receiving coaching advice in the middle of his matches.

Tsitsipas was eventually given a code violation warning for coaching early in the fourth set and he failed to win another service game after receiving the violation at 1-1.

The match finished with the two combatants sharing an icy handshake at the net before the Melbourne crowd booed Medvedev as he stopped onto the middle of the court.

The No. 2 seed was booed again as he walked out to conduct his on-court interview with Jim Courier.

He was then booed for a third time when he said he would be having dinner on Saturday night and might not watch Ash Barty playing in the women’s singles final.

Courier said he asked Medvedev about his plans in an attempt to help the Russian endear himself with the hostile crowd, but his answer didn’t help.

He heads into the final against Nadal very much playing the role of the villain.

‘That’s outrageous’: Wild start to semi-final thriller

Daniil Medvedev has pounced to take the opening set against Stefanos Tsitsipas in an hour of tennis that brought the Rod Laver Arena crowd to its feet.

The match started with Medvedev winning 22 consecutive points on his serve, winning his opening five service games to love.

“That’s outrageous. Tsitsipas is not a bad returner,” Jim Courier said on Channel 9.

In the tie-break, Tsitsipas held a 4-2 lead before Medvedev fought back to take the breaker 7-5.

Medvedev showed ultra-impressive mind games in the tie-break with Aussie great Todd Wodbridge saying there were times when he “baited” Tsitsipas into playing uncomfortable forehands.

The set included some of the most entertaining tennis of the tournament — highlighted by a 34-shot rally that had both players performing acrobatics all over the court.

Level-wise, that first set between Medvedev and Tsitsipas felt equivalent to the sort of semi-finals we’ve seen from the Big Three/Big Four over the years. They’re both bringing it

— Simon Briggs (@simonrbriggs) January 28, 2022

The grudge match turned frosty before the players had even walked out with the pair forced to endure several excruciating minutes standing side by side before being given the call to walk onto court.

The pair have one of the most heated rivalries in tennis — ever since they almost came to blows during a heated moment at the 2018 Miami Open.

They traded insults at the net after Medvedev took issue with the lacklustre handshake he received from Tsitsipas.

Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the walk-out area. Photo: Eurosport, Twitter.

The pair have since played each other eight times, but they are still not on good terms.

They were seen not even acknowledging each other as they waited to be given a delayed call to enter Rod Laver Arena.

‘Meanest thing he’s ever done’: Savage Nadal act in thriller

Rafael Nadal is through to the Australian Open final for the first time since 2019 — chasing an immortal 21st grand slam.

The Spaniard is now just one win away from skipping ahead of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic — and from winning his first Australian Open crown since 2009 after he knocked out Matteo Berrettini 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-3.

Nadal blew Berrettini off the court in the opening two sets, but the match was inexplicably turned on its head in the third set.

Earlier, Nadal had been playing with Berrettini at times, picking him apart with ease.

One moment early in the second set summed it up with Nadal peppering Berrettini’s backhand, eventually forcing an error.

Nadal simply refused to hit it to Berrettini’s forehand, relying with supreme confidence that his opponent would commit the first error.

Rafael Nadal gave Matteo Berrettini a lesson. Photo by Michael Klein.

Nadal was twisting the screws like all the greats know how.

Nadal’s red hot form, coming off a five-set marathon, left commentators stunned.

“That backhand point was the full on meanest thing Rafa has ever done,” WTA Tour expert Courtney Nguyen posted on Twitter.

Tennis journalist Jose Morgado wrote the match had turned into a “nightmare” for Berrettini, who looked flat and defeated early in the second set.

However, Berrettini flipped the match on its head in the third set when he pounced to secure his first break of serve before serving it out 6-3. Berrettini had not had a single break point opportunity in the match before he struck at 4-3 in the third set.

Jim Courier in TV commentary put the dramatic change down to Nadal playing more defensively and Berrettini finally finding his forehand weapon.

He said he “can’t quite figure out” why Nadal had decided to retreat further behind the baseline when returning Berrettini’s serve from the start of the third set.

“This is not basketball and the player has to figure it out themselves,” he said on Channel 9.

“Historically, Nadal has been a major problem solver. It is weird that he is creating a problem for himself here.”

Nadal made the crucial tactical move mid-way through the fourth set when he retreated even further behind the baseline when returning Berrettini’s serve.

Berrettini had won more than 20 consecutive points on his serve at that point — and Nadal’s move ended up being a stroke of genius.

Courier applauded the move and said it had “rattled” Berrettini.

From that moment on, Berrettini’s first serve percentage dropped and Nadal pounced to secure the break of serve at 4-3.

It was a service game of huge drama as Berrettini defended two break points before he was ultimately made to pay the price for his first serve and forehand both deserting him when it mattered most.

Nadal’s victory has created several pieces of history, including him becoming the fourth oldest male player in history to play in the final of a grand slam.

Oldest men in #AusOpen singles final

Ken Rosewall 37 years, 62 days 1972 W
Mal Anderson, 37 years 306 days 1972 L
Roger Federer 36 years, 173 days 2018 W
Ken Rosewall 36 years, 73 days 1971 W
Rafael Nadal 35 years, 241 days 2022 ???? pic.twitter.com/E2anVrfzrN

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 28, 2022

It is his sixth Australian Open final, but he is still chasing his second title at Melbourne Park — an achievement that would make him just the fourth player ever to win all four grand slams two times.

Day 12 schedule

Rod Laver Arena

Mixed Doubles Final: Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) / Ivan Dodig (CRO) [5] defeated Jaimee Fourlis / Jason Kubler (AUS) 6-3 6-4

Men’s singles semi-final: Rafael Nadal (SPA) [6] defeated Matteo Berrettini (ITA) [7] 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-3

From 7.30pm: Men’s singles semi-final: Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [4] vs Daniil Medvedev (RUS) [2]

McGowan ruins Aussie Open star’s baby news

Matt Ebden will likely miss the birth of his child. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Matt Ebden will be chasing grand slam double glory alongside Max Purcell in the all-Aussie men’s double final but the star might have

Set to face the Special K’s of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis on Saturday night for the men’s doubles Australian Open title, Ebden is set to have a much tougher battle on his hands as well.

Having left his eight-month pregnant wife at home in WA, Ebden is facing a tough return home in time for the birth.

Coming after WA Premier Mark McGowan backflipped on reopening the borders from February 5, Ebden said his success in Melbourne could cost him the chance to be at his child’s birth.

“I have a baby on the way. My wife is due in the next two weeks,” Ebden told Channel 9’s Today.

“So I’m delaying getting back to Perth. I have to go back and do two weeks of quarantine now and potentially miss the birth of my baby because of this (final).

“It does feel awful. When I left, it was certain that I could return on February 5, but that has changed.

“The due date is the 14th and (he or she is) likely to come early.”

The 34-year-old told 6PR that it was touch and go whether he’d be back in time.

“Obviously the border rules changed last week since I’ve been here and, yeah, my wife’s not very happy… same as many other Australians out there missing their families, loved ones, births, funerals,” he said.

“It’s just horrible … I’m on the first flight out on Sunday but have to go into hotel and home quarantine and potentially miss the birth, which is terrible.”

Ebden said he doesn’t expect any “special treatment” but hoped there were compassionate grounds.

“I know rules are rules and it might not happen but if I can go in full PPE and in a separate glass room and even just see my wife and baby through a glass room, that would special,” he added.

Ebden was the 2013 mixed doubles champion at the Australian Open and 2021 finalist and is looking to claim his first men’s doubles grand slam title.

Aussies still smiling after mixed doubles defeat

You couldn’t wipe the smile off their face if you tried. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Aussie wildcard pair Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler were the first hopes to claim an Australian Open title but have lost in straight sets to fifth seeds Kristina Mladenovic from France and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig.

The 6-3 6-4 loss may have been crushing to some who had lost but the unexpected run seemed to be accepted well as the pair still had a smile of their faces after the match.

22-year-old Fourlis said it had been “an absolute laugh this week”.

“We started on court 15 in the sticks and slowly made our way to Rod Laver Arena,” she said. “Even playing a match at 1am. We’ve been through everything and it’s been so much fun.”

Kubler added: “It’s a shame we didn’t get the win, it would have been a pretty cool story for us, but far out we had so much fun. Thank you everyone for coming out.”

Mladenovic is no stranger to doubles success, having won the 2014 mixed doubles title with Canadian Daniel Nestor and having won three French and two Australia doubles titles in the past.

Dodig has also won titles before, taking out the men’s doubles last year to go with his 2015 French Open title, and having won two French Open and a Wimbledon title in mixed previously.

Relief for the champs. Photo by BRANDON MALONE / AFP