ATP
Last orders for bar service
WARM weather and cold beer is a good recipe for a day at the beach or a BBQ, but it’s a disaster for an international sports event where the vast majority actually go to watch the sport and not get drunk and throw abuse at players.
Melbourne Park organisers have quite rightly been left embarrassed with their ‘party court’ theme on court 6 where alcohol-fuelled behaviour saw Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova harassed by fans who screamed and “meowed” at her.
The Courtside Bar has a capacity of about 400 people with seating that overlooks the court.
Back in October AO boss Craig Tiley said it was a model they like to expand further across the site in future. Really?
With music blaring from the bar and ‘fans’ shouting abuse at players?
“I was actually thinking during the match ‘What was the idea behind it?’,” Pavlyuchenkova said.
“Yeah okay, maybe of course, for the fans, it’s super fun for them. But tennis is a special sport in a way.
“It’s not like baseball, or other sports where you can eat and walk around, or like basketball. It is completely different. It’s very quiet in a way. So yeah, that was really uncomfortable.”
Spaniard Paula Badosa, played there and was unhappy with it.
“My two matches I played there. It’s very noisy, very loud. It’s a little bit tough to concentrate there,” Badosa said.
Her boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas played doubles on the court on Thursday, also complained that it was not a nice experience.
Like father, like son…
Following in dad’s footsteps in Melbourne last week was a teenager called Hewitt.
Cruz Hewitt, the 15-year-old son of legendary Aussie Lleyton Hewitt, made his junior Slam debut in the Australian Open boy’s singles.
Hewitt was wildcard entry after falling at the final hurdle of junior grand slam qualification.
The wildcard came 27 years after his father debuted in the main draw of the Australian Open.
Cruz won three junior titles in 2023, and was spotted training with Dominic Thiem and Alex de Minaur at Melbourne Park.
IT’S only week one – and tears have been flowing.
Milos Raonic’s wife was tearful after watching her husband withdraw from the Open in his first round match against Alex De Minaur.
The big-hitting Canadian, 33, was unable to complete his match against the Aussie, bowing out midway through the third set.
“It’s tough to see any player walk out this way,” John McEnroe said.
And a misty-eyed Camille Ringoir had to fight back the tears as her husband limped off the court.
NO tears, but plenty of ‘other’ body fluids at a hot Melbourne on Tuesday as Brit Jack Draper won the first five set match of his career, before he threw up ointment a bin afterwards.
Draper battled to overcome American Marcos Giron 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 in a three hours and 20 minutes slog that saw him have a trainer check his blood pressure when the match was 1-1.
WILL Andy Murray play Melbourne again? It seems extremely unlikely after his first round exit.
‘It’s a definite possibility that will be the last time I play here,’ Murray said, after losing to Tomas Etcheverry.
No disgrace there, as Etcheverry is ranked No.30 and a decent Slam player.
But for Murray it was a major disappointment and raises the retirement question again.
“I have an idea of when I would probably like to finish, so much of that depends on how you’re playing. The time frame for that narrows when you play and have results like today,” Murray added.
A Wimbledon finale perhaps?
ANOTHER first round loser was Naomi Osaka, clearly still recovering from giving birth to a daughter, and far from elite match fitness.
She just didn’t look ready for a Slam, her opponent Caroline Garcia did.
And it didn’t take long for the critics to sharpen their knives.
“Tennis-wise, it was maybe a B-plus performance. But overall a C, because she couldn’t get to the ball. She’s not in shape,” Martina Navratilova said.
“I’m surprised she played this tournament without clearly being in the tip-top shape she needs to be in.”
Ouch, but a fair point.
As for Osaka and a plan to be back at the top?
I’m definitely thinking of playing Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, then probably like a full clay season,” she said.
QUOTE of the week: “Oh my god, this is the wokest tournament ever.”
Those were the words of a vert frustrated Aussie Jordan Thompson speaking to an umpire last week, complaining about the noise from spectators.
Australian Open organisers have clearly ditched the traditional rules of watching and enjoying tennis in favour of what many consider the mob rule.
Courtside bars, loud music, beer swilling fans behaving as if it were an American football match.
The wokeness has not stepped there. Australia’s national day on January 26 has been dropped by organisers, but they will have a ‘First Nation’s Day’ and a Pride day.
“If you’re going to call yourself the Australian Open and it happens that our national day takes place during the tournament, you have to acknowledge Australia Day,” Melbourne radio host Tom Elliott said.
Does it have anything to do with the $100m secret bailout payment from the Victorian State radical left labor government to prop up the event post the covid pandemic shutdown. “We’ll help you out but you have to follow our narrative?”
And what is going on at 3.40am? Middle of the night matches that Craig Tiley said would stop with the extra day of play.
This is not good for TV, spectators or players.
BEST courtside interview? At 16 Ms Andreeva shows how it’s done…
OUR WTF moment … the one that made us laugh out loud – and it has to go to who else but Nick Kyrgios.
The outspoken Aussie, who is missing the event through injury, has offered to become Novak Djokovic’s personal security guard.
Kyrgios was angered by a heckler on Rod Laver Arena last week, saying he would jump into the crowd to “sort it out”.
“When he was heckling you, Novak, I told everyone from the commentary box worldwide ‘if you want me to jump into the crowd and sort him out, I’ve got your back 100 per cent, bro’,” Kyrgios said.
“There’s always some jerk in the crowd who wouldn’t say something to Novak’s face.”
FINALLY… Sad to hear of the passing of The London Daily Mail’s tennis correspondent Mike Dickson while at the Australian Open last week. Mike, 59, had worked at the Mail for 33 years, covering tennis since 2007. A well respected tennis writer. RIP.
Carlos Alcaraz ended a four-and-a-half month injury exile with a resounding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Roman Safiullin on Monday at the US Open to mark his return to the courts after a wrist injury.
The defending champion now ranked third is hoping to become the first man to successfully defend the title here Roger Federer won US Open over five consecutive editions (2004-2008).
“For me it’s been a really tough five months. Being able to step on Arthur Ashe and being able to compete again.. as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament than here in New York,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s a really special tenement for me. I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd. The energy. I missed competition. I missed everything. 🥹 I’m just really really happy I was able to compete again.”
“On this (Ashe) court, I made my dream. First major. First time becoming No. 1 in the world.
“The warm welcome I receive every time I come here is crazy. I really appreciate it. I really feel the love from the people.”
One-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas unleashed a major surprise on Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils with a turnaround 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4 win as the French youngster failed to earn a two-set-to-love lead over the Greek.
“I don’t have the answer,” the 10th-seeded Fils said after his collapse in form. “Once the energy went down at the end of the second, I never felt again a good energy.
“I have to talk with my team, but at my level, to do such a mistake is almost unprofessional.”
He added: “I was trying to fight; at one point I broke back early in the fourth, so I was trying to find a way, but not accurate enough on the serve.
“The ball was not going very well out of my racquet. Even if I was fighting, was tough.”
Fils had beaten No. 53 Tsitsipas in all five of heir previous matches
The Greek, playing unseeded for the first time here, reaching the second round for the sixth time as he came from a set and 5-2 down.
Former ATP No. 3 Tsitsipas pronounced himself “speechless” at his success. “It’s an amazing start to the tournament, I’m very proud of myself.
“I’m taking it a day at a time. I don’t wanna be looking too far away. I prefer to stay grounded in the moment. A win like this today matters a lot to me.”
:French veteran Adrian Mannarino, aged 38, fought back from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career to advance past Thiago Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The loss ended the dream of the 42nd-ranked Argentine who beat Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati second round last month as the Serb competed for the first time since Wimbledon at the pre-Open event.
The first-round match began on opening day but was interrupted by night-time rain and concluded on Monday.
Andrey Rublev wore down lucky loser Otto Virtanen as the Finn cramped in the closing stages on the way to a 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Virtanen entered the draw as former champion Marin Cilic withdrew.
Main photo:- ‘New look” Carlos Alcaraz celebrates first round win on return from injury – ATPTour.com
Novak Djokovic hit the wall as the 24-time Grand Slam winner vomited at the back of the court and was treated by the trainer during a disheartening first round loss which ended early Monday morning on opening day of the US Open.
The 39-year-old Serb fell ill – he said things have been this way for weeks – as he took a loss to Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
In addition to his stomach problems, the ailing Serb was seen by the trainer, the doctor and used an inhaler as he complained of cramping and general poor health during a stress test lasting nearly four and three-quarter hours.
The defeat came a fortnight after Djokovic was knocked out in his opening match in Cincinnati after reaching a Wimbledon semi-final.
“It was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic said early Monday.
“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.
“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.
He added: “I was up a break up in the fourth, but just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match. Congrats to him. He’s a nice guy, a fighter.
But, you know, I didn’t enjoy myself.”
The disappointing end was Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades and cut off a run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories going back to a loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.
“From the perspective of the crowd and support, it was incredible, honestly from the beginning. They were trying to lift me up in important moments,” Djokovic said.
“I’m very sorry that I, you know, didn’t perform as well as I should have or could have… but the love and appreciation they gave me in the end really touched my heart.”
Seventh seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev came good after losing here a year ago in the first round, posting a win over Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 for his 33rd victory of the season.
Montreal quarter-finalist Daniel Merida defeated Marton Fucsovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to earn the fist straight-set men’s win of the fortnight.
Jiri Lehecka put out two-time semi-finalist Pablo Carreño Busta 6-1, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2. The win served as revenge after the veteran Spaniard beat the Czech in the Roland Garros first round.
No. 101 Dino Prizmic spent nearly four hours before completing a win over Alexander Shevchenko to advance in five sets.
The 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 success was hard-fought, with Prizmic leading 5-2 and serving for it in the fourth set but needing to go all the way to claim his first victory here after saving two match points.
The Croat has threatened top 10 names in the past, beating Novak Djokovic in Rome and Ben Shelton in Madrid.
Cincinnati quarter-finalist Tommy Paul recovered after losing the opening set, storming back for a 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Hong Kong qualifier Coleman Wong.
Day 1 British results were mixed, with Cam Norrie going down in an upset loss to Frenchman Luca van Assche 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 while debutant Toby Samuel’s earned the biggest win of his career as he stunned Czech Tomas Machac 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Former finalist Casper Ruud made a last-minute pull out on Sunday as the US Open began, with the Norwegian still affected by the back injury which forced his retirement only days ago in Cincinnati.
The runner-up four years ago to Carlos Alcaraz has been carrying the problems for several weeks and pulled the plug on his participation on opening day of the season;s final major.
Ruud becomes the 20th player to withdraw,, a list led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is dealing with a knee injury and who has not played since winning Wimbledon in July.
Ruud was due to start in New York against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, whom he defeated last month in Montreal.
Ruud now faces a rush to fitness if he is to compete at the Laver Cup in London from September 25.
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