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'Epic fail': Australian Open blasted for 'embarrassing' act

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Australian Open ball kids mopping up the rain (pictured left) and Daniil Medvedev (pictured right) reacting during his match.
The Australian Open was slammed after failing to shut the roof early on Rod Laver Arena, which prompted ball kids to mop up the rain (pictured left) during Daniil Medvedev's (pictured right) match. (Getty Images)

The Australian Open has drew the ire of spectators after a baffling decision to leave the roof open on Rod Laver Arena despite rain interrupting the men's quarter-final match at a pivotal point.

Daniil Medvedev summoned up astonishing reserves of spirit and quality to win 6-7 (4-7), 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, 6-4 in a near-five hour classic against the impressive Felix Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday.

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However, Auger-Aliassime would have been ruing his fortune in the tiebreak for the third set when he was two sets up against the World No.2.

With Medvedev 2-1 up, but facing considerable pressure to stay in the match against the red-hot Canadian, rain started to cover Rod Laver Arena.

Medvedev was able to take a moment to regain his composure as officials closed the roof and subsequently ran away with the tiebreak.

Aussie tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt said the break was tough for the young Canadian.

“That little break midway through the tie-break there and just that extra, close to seven minutes thinking that he is so close to finishing this match and a semi-final of another major,” Hewitt said on Channel Nine.

“He has to really try to reset here.”

While the Russian took advantage of the situation, Auger-Aliassime could have been wondering why the roof wasn't shut earlier to prevent the issue.

Spectators shared this sentiment with many pointing to the 'farcical' scenes of the ball kids cleaning the court as the players rested.

Daniil Medvedev triumphs in Australian Open classic

Despite the break, Medvedev channelled 'Djokovic's fight' and clawed his way back from two sets down to win.

The Russian, who reckoned he had simply not known what to do when the young Canadian's forehand tracers zipped past him, admitted: "He was playing insane, like better than I have ever seen him play. It was unreal.

"So, third set, I had zero confidence in myself and in the outcome of the match."

Daniil Medvedev (pictured) claps and thanks the crowd after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Daniil Medvedev (pictured) celebrates after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in their men's singles quarter-final match at the Australian Open. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images) (WILLIAM WEST via Getty Images)

In his post-match speech with Jim Courier, Medvedev was asked about what was going through his mind having comeback from what appeared to be oblivion.

Medvedev pre-warned the Australian Open crowd: "I don't know if people will like it," before explaining his mentality as "What would Novak do?"

The cheeky moment had the Rod Laver Arena crowd both laughing and pantomime booing.

Medvedev will now face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open semi-final.

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