Daniil Medvedev loses temper and smashes racquet, TV net camera at Australian Open

Daniil Medvedev has laughed off a wild outburst where he smashed his racquet repeatedly against the net camera.

Daniil Medvedev has laughed off the moment he lost his temper and smashed his racquet repeatedly against the net camera.

The former men’s world no. 1 defeated world no. 418 Kasidit Samrej in five sets on day three of the Australian Open on Tuesday night.

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The Thai qualifier was put to bed in the first set 6-2, but he quickly found a new gear in the second and stole the next two sets off Medvedev.

After a particularly demoralising point, the Russian started hacking at the net with his racquet.

Watch the moment in the video player above

“The camera was very, very strong, because my racquet didn’t handle the damage, but the camera did … Very strong. I was very surprised,” Medvedev said, laughing off the outburst in a post-match press conference.

Daniil Medvedev smashed a TV net camera with his racquet. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The 28-year-old said he hoped the fine for smashing the camera was “not too big”.

“The fine is usually for breaking the racquet, and the camera is going to cost some, but I don’t think Go Pro is that expensive,” he said.

The latest Go Pro HERO13 Black is priced from $649.95.

Medvedev claimed he did not actually want to destroy his racquet.

“When I saw the racquet, I was, like, ‘OK, time to take a new one, I guess’,” he said.

Technical staff examine the net camera after Medvedev took it out. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Medvedev seemed to find some composure, at least in his tennis game, in the following set after the outburst, sinking Samrej 6-1 to take it to a decider.

He eventually calmed the waters and closed out the match 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, but still, a five set sweat-fest to open up his tournament was the last thing on his mind.

He said he was feeling the heat of potentially exiting the tournament in the first round and exploded when the pressure mounted.

“You are in a grand slam. You need to win. Two sets to one down is not an easy feeling. I was like ‘I don’t want to be on the flight tomorrow’,” Medvedev said after the match.

“I tried my best to stay tough, to win it. Again, I felt like I concentrated the whole match.

“Unfortunately, the one thing that is going to be all over social media is about the racquet.”

Medvedev won the match against Samrej in an intense five sets. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Medvedev said he was motivated to get the title this year by the fact he has been a three-time runner-up in the Australian Open.

“I’ve played some of my best matches here,” he said.

“To be honest, the two finals I lost against Rafa (Nadal) and Jannik (Sinner), I was playing unbelievable tennis.

“Maybe the tennis that I don’t play every time.

“So it’s a great motivation to try again, have the final, try to do better.”

Originally published as Daniil Medvedev loses temper and smashes racquet, TV net camera at Australian Open