Alexei Popyrin falls victim to ‘shameless’ action as disqualification storm erupts

It was a brutal day for the local contingent on Australian Open on Tuesday, with Alexei Popyrin suffering injury and some ordinary tactics from his opponent, while Kim Birrell broke down in tears after a last-minute change of opponent threw her off. And questions are being asked about why Daniil Medvedev was not disqualified for a nasty outburst that saw him smash a racket and net camera.

The Russian star let his frustrations boil over as Thai outsider Kasidit Samrej threatened to cause a major shock and beat the grand slam champion. Samrej won the second and third sets to let world no. 5 rattled and Medvedev took it out on the net.

After Samrej hit a winner past the advancing Medvedev, the Russian smashed his racket into the net in anger. He hit the net several times, destroying a camera that was placed there. This caused a delay in the match as the camera had to be replaced and the chair umpire hit Medvedev with a code violation and warning.

But questions are being asked as to why it was not an immediate disqualification as Medvedev deliberately destroyed the equipment in the process of also breaking his racket. Smashing the net with your racket is probably enough for a disqualification, let’s also destroy a camera.

Scores of fans took to social media to question why Medvedev had not been disqualified and kicked out of the Open, pointing to the message it sends to children watching at home. The Russian is fined for his outburst and must pay for the camera he broke.

“The fine is usually for breaking the racket,” he said after his 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-2 victory in three hours and eight minutes. “The camera is going to cost something, but I don’t think (a) Go Pro is that expensive. I have to say the camera was very, very strong because (my) racquet didn’t take the damage, but the camera did.”

The opponent’s backlash during the victory over Alexei Popyrin

It was a day of drama and controversy at Melbourne Park, med Alex de Minaur the only Aussie to advance. Popyrin lost in the first round despite being seeded for the first time at a major, with the young Aussie suffering from a glute injury he picked up after winning the first set.

Popyrin also suffered a hamstring cramp midway through the second set and lost 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 to Corentin Moutet, No. 69 in the world, at the John Cain Arena. The bout drew the ire of the audience and fans who watched at home with some of his antics and was loudly booed on a number of occasions.

The Frenchman played a series of drop shots because he knew Popyrin couldn’t move properly – and he was free to do so. But some of his reactions left a sour taste in many people’s mouths. Moutet was seen pointing at his head to show how smart he was, and many felt his actions towards an injured opponent were “shameless” and “classless”.

Kim Birrell’s devastating meltdown after ‘disturbance’

Popyrin joined Birrell, Olivia Gadecki, Emerson Jones and Rinky Hijikata as the Australians bow out on Tuesday, and Birrell was reduced to tears in his post-match press conference. Australia’s top ranked woman admitted she was rattled by a last-minute opponent switch after lucky losses. Eva Lys replaced the injured Anna Kalinskaya a few minutes before the match.

Birrell admitted the 6-2 6-2 loss was a “tough pill to swallow” after winning through qualifying and doing all her homework on Kalinskaya instead of Lys. “Absolutely (it threw me off),” Birrell said as she wiped away tears at her press conference.

“I had prepared to play Anna, who is a really great player. I knew I was in a match against her and I had done my research and talked a lot with my team, but unfortunately it wasn’t who I faced today.

“Then to find out she pulled out and I was playing someone completely different, it rattled me. But when she said that, she was in the same position as me – she didn’t know who to play, so we were both put in pretty difficult situations, I take responsibility for not handling it and I thank her.

Australian Open commentator Pippa Horn said the change of opponent would have been a major “upset” for Birrell. “Her and her team would have very much planned to play against Anna Kalinskaya and now she has another opponent. How do you approach a situation like that?” Horn asked.