BEVERLY HILLS, February 13, (THEWILL) – From sanctions imposed on a player not wearing facemasks to use the toilet and a coach receiving eviction from the tennis arena, the spectator-less Australian Open has lived up to its annual billing of serving drama.
Now taking place without the cheering and support of in-person crowds, the games are still serving up interesting and intriguing moments.
There were two such moments in today’s encounter between the Serbian Filip Krajinovic and his Russian opponent Daniil Medvedev.
In the drama-filled third-round match, the 28-year-old Serbian received a very unusual code violation from the umpire because he did not wear a mask to go to the toilet during the match, while Medvedev had to deal with the stress of having a bust-up with his own coach as the match progressed.
In the end, fourth-seeded Medvedev had to dig deep to battle past Krajinovic in five sets, coming through, 6-3 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0. But, that was after he forced his French coach Gilles Cervara to exit the empty stands in Rod Laver Arena.
That act was the culmination of several rants in his direction in a tempestuous feud between coach and player. Medvedev screamed at his coach in various languages at different stages of the match, with perhaps the most striking line coming at a changeover: “WILL YOU LET ME PLAY? LET ME PLAY!”
This is not the first time that both have been embroiled in a mid-match row, yet it was quite remarkable that it was taking place on one of the biggest stages of tennis. Cervara walked out of the stadium like someone not particularly shocked by having his own player give him the marching orders.
As interesting as their exchange was, it still was not the strangest incident of the third-round contest. There was also Krajinovic’s intriguing code violation that must be a first for any Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) organised event.
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When the Serb returned to the court, after going to use the toilet, the umpire immediately picked on him for neglecting to put on his face mask. A bemused Krajinovic ranted with his coaches in his chair after receiving the formal warning, before pleading that: “I didn’t know the rule,” before play resumed.
Medvedev will next take on American Mackenzie McDonald in the last 16 at Melbourne Park. In completing the heated victory, the 25-year-old extended his winning streak to 17 matches and reached the fourth round.
Russia could end up with an Open era record of four men in the last 16 of a Grand Slam, with Medvedev leading the charge of his compatriots.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
