Tennis world turns on Australian Open over latest farcical scenes

The Australian Open is coming under heavy fire from across the tennis world over farcical scenes that continue to unfold every year.

Look at the clock! (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP)

The Australian Open is coming under heavy fire following the latest instalment in absurdly late finishes to the day’s play.

Daniil Medvedev’s second round clash against Emil Ruusuvuori didn’t come to an end until 3:40am at Melbourne Park.

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The two players didn’t walk out onto the court until 11:15pm, a move that wouldn’t have been allowed under new rules introduced by the ATP and WTA.

Those rules state night sessions will commence prior to 7:30pm and no matches can begin after 11pm.

The Australian Open isn’t bound by these rules and as a result, the late night finishes have continued on despite organisers adding an extra day to the schedule. A move they hoped would fix the issue.

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley initially claimed the move had “taken the edge off having the possibility of late finishes”.

He later walked back that claim and admitted the moves wouldn’t stop the long nights.

No late night finishes huh, Craig? (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP)

Whoops. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

In short, an extra day was added to the schedule in case of delays caused by weather or late finishes to matches.

In reality, all they did with the extra day was space out the opening round over the course of three days instead of the usual two.

It’s left the Australian Open in an embarrassing position with the tennis world turning on the tournament over the farcical scenes that continue to play out year after year in Melbourne.

Tennis journalists David Law, Catherine Whitaker and Matt Roberts took aim at the ridiculous finishing time of the second round encounter.

“Why did they send this match on today? It was 11 o’clock plus when they sent them on,” Law said on the Tennis Podcast.

Whitaker added: “He (Medvedev) should be pissed off. They should all be pissed off.”

But it was Roberts who took a blow torch to Tiley as he pointed out the glaring issue with the scheduling, in particular the extra day.

“We all knew that the Sunday start was never going to do anything about the late finish. You did not have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out once you realised what they were actually going to do with the schedule. It was going to make no difference whatsoever,” Roberts said.

A largely empty arena watched the contest unfold. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP)

“The Sunday start is an admirable effort to push up the attendance at the Australian Open.

“Craig Tiley is targeting a million people through the gates. Does it really count if so many of those people have to leave before tennis is over? Like are they really seeing the tennis?

“Are we really counting them as coming to the Australia Open when they’re having a diminished experience because they can’t stay and watch?

“This match, which is great, is being played in a largely empty Rod Laver Arena. Of course it’s empty. It’s 2.30 in the morning! What the hell are we doing?

“There is a tennis tournament that takes place every single year called Wimbledon – you may have heard of it, it’s pretty big.

“They have a curfew at 11pm, they stop playing. It’s like the best tournament in the world.

“It’s a total non-issue to have a curfew and not be playing at 2.30 in the morning. If you want to actually do something about the scheduling, just have a curfew.

“Wimbledon happens every year and it’s great. No one goes, ‘Oh I can’t believe we’re not playing at 3 o’clock in the morning’. I’m so angry about this.”

Breakfast time. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP)

The addition of the extra day was called out by tennis legend John McEnroe ahead of the tournament with the American branding it nothing more than a “money grab”.

American tennis player John Isner, a former world number eight, weighed in on what unfolded on Thursday night, saying the late finish could “compromise” Medvedev’s tournament.

“No one should be playing tennis at 3:30am. This is looney tunes,” Isner wrote.

“The recovery for both players is completely compromised. Especially tough for the loser once the adrenaline leaves their body.”

Tennis fans around the world were all saying the same thing as they slammed the Australian Open for the issue which continues to unfold year after year.

It’s late! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Q4mgiLxNhE

— Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) January 18, 2024

Journalist Ben Rothenberg wrote: “Thank goodness for that Sunday start so we don’t have any more late nights at the #AusOpen, huh?”

Melissa Hoyer write: “A longer tournament will ‘take the edge off late finishes’ … with a 3.40am finish this morning, looks like that edict is going to plan.”

Sports scientist Ross Tucker tweeted: “Medvedev vs Ruusuvuori, 5th set is about to START, at 3.15am. Tennis needs a time policy (eg: “At 1am, finish the current set, then resume play the next day”). These guys will be eating breakfast before going to sleep, then one of them plays best of 5 again in 24h.”

Sports journalist Ryan Sidle tweeted: “Daniil Medvedev and Emil Ruusuvuori have just started the fifth set of their match at the Australian Open. It’s 3.15am in Melbourne! That is utter madness.”