Daniil Medvedev's Australian Open final dreams went south after an angry exchange with the umpire about how ballkids were performing. Photo / AP
Daniil Medvedev's Australian Open final dreams went south after an angry exchange with the umpire about how ballkids were performing. Photo / AP
A rant about ballkids in the Australian Open Final appears to have been the beginning of the end for World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev as Rafael Nadal claimed his 21st grand slam title on Sunday night.
Medvedev opened up on his rough ride throughout the tournament, where he has been booed regularly and endured a running battle against fans as he raged over noise between points and spectators' general "disrespect".
However, Medvedev has been happy to play the role of the villain, trolling Aussies with Novak Djokovic references and slamming fans for having a "low IQ".
But during the final, Medvedev was feeling the pressure — even when leading two sets to love and up 4-3 in the third set.
While the set was still rolling along on serve at that point, Nadal ended up breaking — changing the momentum and paving the way for him to win the third set, and then the next two.
Medvedev said after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals "I don't think bad emotions help me too much" but it appears he didn't learn his lesson, as the 25-year-old hit out over the ballkids' performance during the third set of Sunday's decider.
He seemed to take issue with the ballkids not always having enough balls to provide him, or the ball possession being shared unevenly around the court between the young volunteers, impacting his rhythm.
"Are they not allowed to pass the ball to one another?" he ranted to umpire John Blom
"They don't have to do the circle around the court — they can just pass the one ball to another.
Blom explained: "They only have one way they were told to do it. If you want them at the same side, the number of balls, I'll talk to them."
Daniil Medvedev gestures as he talks to chair umpire John Blom. Photo / AP
With a look of incredulity on his face, Medvedev continued: "Two and two, and they can pass to each other. It doesn't have to be in the middle."
Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge noted the exchange in commentary for Nine, asking US tennis great Jim Courier: "Why at this point, two sets to love, 4-3 on serve, would you be looking annoyed and engaging like that with the umpire?"
Courier responded: "Probably because he just had a bunch of break points a couple of games ago and you didn't get it. It's just a bit of a pressure release for him I think. That's what we were looking at. Both of the ballkids didn't have balls. Unusual, a little bit."
Footage also showed Medvedev had tried to organise the ballkids before complaining to the umpire.
Reaction was swift on social media as Aussies called the Russian out for his ballkid bake.
Former Hockeyroo Georgie Parker tweeted: "Get mad the umpire. Get mad at your opponent. Get mad at the crowd … but don't you dare get mad at the ball kids."
Medvedev lost Australia when he turned on the Ball Kids - we’re all behind Rafa now… let’s go #AO2022
Come on. A pressure release?! Sure, take your frustration out on a couple of ball kids - that seems fair 🤷🏽♀️ Medvedev needs to pull his head in. 24 hours after Ash wins with such grace and humility … he is tarnishing this court. #AusOpen
Minutes after the ballkid blow-up Nadal held his serve and Medvedev engaged with the crowd when an unforced error opened up two break points for the Spaniard.
Medvedev hit the ball into the net and sarcastically clapped his racquet to a chorus of boos from fans.
Courier said: "He doesn't like when they cheer unforced errors, but it is their right, they paid the ticket …"
Tennis commentator Jose Morgado said Medvedev's ballkid meltdown and subsequent lapse was a major moment in the match, tweeting: "Total brainfart from Medvedev two games away from the title. Nadal will serve for the 3rd set."
After the five-set loss, Medvedev was in no mood for the trophy presentation, appearing to mouth the word "boring" during Tennis Australia chair Jayne Hrdlicka's speech.
"Daniil, you have had the most extraordinary tournament," she said. "You have found yourself in tough spots on the way here. You have demonstrated you're never finished and you were never finished until the very last point. Congratulations on a great tournament.
"You were clearly determined to beat history in the making for the second time in a row and that didn't happen tonight, but there is no doubt that we are going the see you back here and that you are on your way to making your own records in the tennis history books. Congratulations."
"I'm just talking about few moments where the kid stopped dreaming, and today was one of them. I'm not going to really tell why," he said, adding that from now on he would only play for himself and his family.
The result doesn't change Medvedev's position on the ATP rankings. He is now closer to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic after the Serbian star's visa drama, just 890 points behind.
