McEnroe: Djokovic treated unfairly
Former world number one Novak Djokovic is being treated ‘‘like s***’’ by Australian Open officials, according to tennis legend John McEnroe.
Djokovic has won the Australian Open more than any male player in the sport’s history, but has lucked out in the latest scheduling controversy.
Questions have surrounded arch rival Roger Federer’s ‘‘leverage’’ in the schedule. The Swiss maestro has played his first three matches in the Rod Laver Arena during the night - avoiding the sweltering day-time temperatures.
Djokovic, by comparison, has played only once at night and once on the main stage, leading to accusations that the tournament is scheduling unfairly. McEnroe says the No. 14 seed deserves better from the tournament he’s won six times.
According to the Daily Express, McEnroe thinks the Serbian may even thrive under such adversity.
‘‘Roger, not Novak, is the golden goose of tennis and he gets to play on the biggest stage in front of the biggest audience whenever he wants.
‘‘Plain and simple. Is it fair? I don’t know and I don’t care. Life isn’t fair.
‘‘I actually think the organisation is doing him a favour by treating him like s***. The guy feeds on adversity.
‘‘I actually think this reversed ‘preferential treatment’ might actually help him.’’
McEnroe said the questions over poor treatment had been beaten up and it is all part of the game.
‘‘I don’t know what it is about this year’s Australian Open but it seems every day comes with a new controversy.
‘‘Fact: Roger Federer asked to play at night. Fact: Roger has played all three of his matches in the cooler night slot on the Rod Laver Arena.
‘‘Fact: Novak Djokovic did not request a specific time slot for his matches. Fact: Novak Djokovic played his first two matches during the day, one of them in the blistering summer sun.’’
Djokovic was to step onto Rod Laver Arena last night for just the second time this tournament..
Djokovic said he was ‘‘almost dead’’ after surviving his match against Gael Monfils where the mercury on court was reportedly recorded at 69C
Australian tennis great Pat Cash has commented Federer has been given an unfair advantage.
‘‘It has caused a bit of controversy actually. It’s one of those tricky things,’’ Cash said.
Meanwhile, big Czech Tomas Berdych advanced to the quarterfinals for the seventh time in the past eight years with a straight-sets rout of Italian Fabio Fognini yesterday.
The 19th-seeded Berdych won 6-1 6-4 6-4 against the No 25 seed from Italy, who had been bidding to reach the last eight at a major for only the second time in 39 attempts.
Berdych advances to a last eight showdown with defending champion Federer, who beat unseeded Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-2. Federer’s vivtory means he has become the oldest man since Ken Rosewall in 1977 to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals
Earlier, American Madison Keys blasted her way into the women’s quarterfinals with a crushing win over Caroline
Garcia.
Seeded 17th, Keys overpowered the French eighth seed 6-3 6-2, firing 32 winners on Rod Laver Arena.
Keys, a semifinalist at Melbourne Park in 2015 who made the US Open final last year, has yet to drop a set this tournament.
The 22-year-old missed the Australian Open last year after undergoing wrist surgery and said she was relishing being back.
Key will meet former champion Angelique Kerber, who was driven to distraction by the unorthodox game of world No 88 Hsieh Su-wei but overhauled the Taiwanese battler 4-6 7-5 6-2.
The 21st seed was being tied up in knots by double-sided Hsieh’s angles and slices in a match of clashing styles at Rod Laver Arena before the slender Taiwanese fatigued and the German’s power game prevailed.
Hsieh saved two match points to hold serve in a late burst of resistance but 2016 champion Kerber closed it out in the next game when she whipped an easy passing shot.