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Russia’s Daniil Medvedev Destroys Camera With His Racket During the Australian Open

And it was almost as funny animated.

Stephen Douglas

Daniil Medvedev takes out his frustration on a net camera at the Australian Open.
Daniil Medvedev takes out his frustration on a net camera at the Australian Open. / @AwfulAnnouncin

Daniil Medvedev defeated Kasidit Samrej (6–2, 4–6, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2) in the first round of the Australian Open, but as you can tell, it was not all smooth sailing for the fifth ranked player in the world.

Medvedev won the first set, but lost the second set and was on his way to dropping the third when frustration took hold of the 28-year old Russian. He proceeded to smash his racket against the net, appearing to take specific aim at a small camera that must have captured his bad side one too many times.

Medvedev took two good swings and rendered it useless before heading back to his seat to retrvieve a racket that he hadn't yet destroyed.

Here's the animated version of that racket smash which was broadcast on the Australian Open YouTube page. According to the BBC, Tennis Australia is hoping to make the sport more accessable for kids and families with the animated broadcast. Plus, people can watch for free without any kind of subscription. It's just sometimes the cartoons lose their temper.

As for Medvedev, this was just what the doctor ordered. He went on to win the final two sets with ease to avoid the upset at the hands of an unranked opponent with a career singles record of 3–7.

Medvedev has reached the final of the Australian Open in three of the last four years. After surviving the scare from Samrej, he's just five wins and who knows how many rackets from getting back.

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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

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