Daniil Medvedev smashed a net camera in an outburst of anger during his five-set Australian Open win over low-ranked Cassidyt Samrage.
Medvedev, a finalist in Melbourne 12 months ago, arrived in Australia late after the birth of his second child and was in deep trouble against world number 418 Samrej of Thailand.
As the 23-year-old won the third set to take a two-sets-to-one lead, fifth seed Medvedev slammed his racket into the middle of the net several times, destroying a camera mounted there.
But like American teenager Nishesh Bavaredi, who topped Novak Djokovic on Monday, Samrei began to struggle physically and Medvedev fought back to win 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-2.
“I know that I play better when I play more tennis,” said the Russian. “Why play for an hour and 30, at least three hours?
“In the second and third sets, I couldn’t touch the ball. I didn’t know what to do. Money, girls, the house.”
Medvedev regained his composure to advance to the second round
Samrej earned his wild card by winning the Asia-Pacific Wild Card play-off, while he warmed up for his Grand Slam debut by training with Djokovic in Thailand last month.
Medvedev struggled in the second half of last season but hopes the new addition to his family will inspire the fortunes of wife Daria, who gave birth to the couple’s second child days before the Australian Open.
“It just gives me good energy,” he said. “At the end of last year, I probably would have lost it. New year, new energy, at least for now. I’m glad I won this game.”
Holger Ruhn It also took five sets to overcome China’s Zhang Zhizhen, and another match that went the distance saw the veteran Gael Monfils winning the battle of the French against his young countryman Giovanni Mpetshi Perikar.
Mpetshi Pericard is one of the hottest young prospects on tour and he sent the fastest serve of the tournament so far by some distance at 144.2 mph.
But Monfils, who became the ATP Tour’s oldest singles winner in Auckland at the weekend, prevailed 7-6 (7) 6-3 6-7 (6) 6-7 (5) 6-4.
“I don’t really look at my age,” Monfils said. “It’s just a number, and I try to avoid thinking about it, but I can say tomorrow morning I’ll be more like 48 than 38.”
Fourth seed Taylor Fritz had a much easier time of it, seeing off American Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-0 6-3, while Ben Shelton 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 7-5 beat Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 7-5 in a tight All-American clash to secure his first win of 2025.
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