Medvedev hoping to win over Aussie fans
DANIIL MEDVEDEV is not seeking to play the villain role at the Australian Open despite his run-in with the crowd against Nick Kyrgios.
The world number two and title favourite had a much calmer time in defeating Botic Van De Zandschulp in the third round than he had on Thursday evening when the rowdy home fans tried to inspire Kyrgios to an upset.
Medvedev said some of the fans had a ‘low IQ’ after they jeered between his first and second serves during the four-set win.
At the US Open in 2019, Medvedev delighted in clashing with the New York crowd on his way to his first grand slam final, saying after beating Feliciano Lopez to a chorus of boos: ‘I want all of you to know when you sleep tonight: I won because of you.’
After his 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory over Van De Zandschulp at Melbourne Park, Medvedev said: ‘I don’t think it’s the same because the other night I was playing against an Australian player, very electric Australian player.
‘As I said, I didn’t have any issues except the one small thing, which is first and second serve. After the match, I think it was straightaway pretty actually fun for everybody. That’s how I felt, and I didn’t see a lot of negative reactions.
‘I like coming to Australia, I feel like people support me in general here. I want to even say feeling in a way like home. So I do think it’s much more ups than downs with the Australian crowd.”
Next up Medvedev faces an intriguing clash with fastrising American Maxime Cressy, who continued his brilliant start to the year by beating Australian wild card Chris O’Connell.
Aryna Sabalenka was able to laugh about her service struggles after battling through to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
The world number two has served 80 double faults during her first five matches of the season but is at least happy that the numbers are heading in the right direction.
She said after beating Marketa Vondrousova 4-6 6-3 6-1: ‘I’m really happy right now, and mostly really happy that I made only 10 double faults.’ Sabalenka has had to come from a set down in all three of her matches in Melbourne so far..
‘I wasn’t really thinking a lot about my serve. Maybe because the last matches I was able to break a lot of games. It gives me a little confidence on the returning games,’ she said Sabalenka will next face unseeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi, who overcame Australian wild card Maddison Inglis.