The ‘blanket policy’ fix to end farcical tennis scenes

And one explicit disgrace, that defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was welcomed again to Melbourne Park by a sparsely populated Rod Laver Area simply earlier than midnight, might so simply have been prevented.

In actual fact, there have been recommendations {that a} blanket rule must be in place to cease such a situation taking place in any respect.

In a energetic dialogue on The Tennis Podcast, it was steered that Sabalenka’s match ought to’ve been performed previous to the Novak Djokovic-Dino Prizmic epic. And that must be the brand new regular.

“I simply suppose there must be a blanket coverage that you could’t schedule any match after a best-of-five set match. You’ll be able to’t have a second night time session match after best-of-five,” stated co-host Catherine Whitaker.

Co-host Matt Roberts famous the not too long ago launched ATP-WTA guidelines which forestall matches from beginning after 11pm, which have been introduced in to restrict the variety of farcical late finishes.

“The large one is that they completely have to begin with the ladies’s matches at night time – it’s merely unacceptable for matches to be beginning at 11.41,” Roberts stated.

“That’s 41 minutes after the excursions have simply determined that’s too late for matches to be beginning.

“That’s 71 minutes after that match would’ve been moved if it was on the tour – the brand new Tour coverage is ‘10.30, we’re going to maneuver to a brand new courtroom’.

“The entire level is that that strolling out second onto courtroom is the one likelihood you get as a defending champion to return to the courtroom for the primary time because you received it, and obtain the applause and the ovation you deserve.

“That was merely taken away from Aryna Sabalenka tonight. She is rarely going to be a first-time defending Australian Open champion once more.

“That was her second, and it was barely a second as a result of there was barely anybody there to recognise it.

“Nobody is blaming any (members of the group who left) – it’s the scheduling.”

11.40AM: TEEN STAR HITS OUT AT ‘HIDEOUS’ DELETED POST

Teen tennis star Coco Gauff has hit out at a ‘hideous’ cartoon and since-deleted social media publish from the USTA designed to advertise American gamers at this 12 months’s Australian Open.

The cartoon, completed within the type of the Nineties Nickelodeon present the Wild Thornberrys, displayed seeded American stars comparable to Gauff and world No.5 Jessica Pegula, and males’s stars Sebastian Korba, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton within the Australian outback.

The finale of the present’s closing season aired in June, 2004 – mere months after Gauff was born.

And the world No.4 Gauff was no fan of the caricature type, taking to social media to voice her displeasure.

“Worst factor I’ve ever seen,” Gauff stated in an Instagram story.

“Like a caricature artist determined to make (us) all seem like hideous wanting folks. The artwork type is cool for a cartoon present however not for a hype publish. Foul.”

Gauff added on Twitter that it “makes us all look so ugly”.

11.15AM: ‘WHO KNOWS DOWN THE TRACK’: AUSSIE GREAT FUELS BARTY RUMOURS

Australian tennis nice Ash Barty is again at Melbourne Park – and appears like she’s able to go deep into the second week.

The one downside is the three-time grand slam champion, and new mum, continues to be fortunately retired.

However will that stay the case?

Barty retired shortly after successful the 2022 Australian Open and in July final 12 months she gave delivery to a son. However Australian tennis followers are ceaselessly hopeful that the 27-year-old’s aggressive fires reignite.

And one remark from one-time Fed Cup teammate Alicia Molik raised eyebrows on Monday.

“She seems like she could possibly be competing on this Australian Open,” Molik stated as footage performed of Barty spinning a racquet on her finger.

“Who is aware of down the monitor… It’s fantastic we now have the chance to see her.”

10.45AM: DJOKOVIC HITS OUT OPEN ORGANISERS OVER NEW RULE

– NCA Newswire

World No.1 Novak Djokovic has given a serve to Australian Open organisers a couple of new rule permitting followers to maneuver across the stadium in between video games, somewhat the normal change of ends.

Djokovic stated he wasn’t conscious of the brand new rule which allowed for extra fan motion and stated it had a detrimental influence on his match and never the constructive one match organisers have been hoping for

“I didn’t learn about that new coverage or new rule,” he stated

“Look, I imply, I perceive the motive behind it’s to reinforce and enhance the expertise for followers, proper? We do play for followers. We wish followers to have an awesome, thrilling expertise of being out on the courtroom.

“It’s exhausting, I have to say. I perceive that and I assist it to some extent, however on the similar time all my profession, all my life I’ve been used to some form of ambiance. When that adjustments, it form of messes up, distracts you a bit.

“At present we misplaced fairly a little bit of time after they have been letting folks in to return to their seats, regardless that it was not a changeover. My opponent would watch for them to take a seat down. It dragged loads.

“I don’t know if it’s actually the most effective rule, however I do perceive from a match and fan perspective it’s in all probability higher as a result of they don’t wish to wait. They wish to come out and revel in each single level.

“I’m form of divided between the 2 in a method”

10.30AM: HALF AN HOUR UNTIL DAY TWO GETS UNDERWAY

Reside tennis is nearly upon us – with seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova and fiery Ukranian Dayana Yastremska first up on John Cain Area, which precedes an all-Australian conflict between Alexei Popyrin and wildcard Marc Polmans.

Within the day’s different early matches, Australian qualifier Storm Hunter has Italian veteran Sara Errani in her sights, and wildcard Taylah Preston might have her palms full in opposition to nineteenth seed Elina Svitolina.

9.50AM: FANS FUME AS AUSTRALIA ROBBED OF FIRST-ROUND EPIC

It was the five-set epic which ought to have given tennis followers the proper begin to their Australian Open expertise – besides that it was given a free-to-air blackout.

Australian Chris O’Connell’s gruelling four-hour victory over World No.88 Cristian Garin was a gripping encounter for these fortunate sufficient to get to Courtroom 3 to observe the pulsating encounter.

The gritty Aussie twice fought again, after dropping the primary and third units, to ship the match to a deciding fifth set. Solely followers have been left scratching their heads about methods to watch it.

The early portion of the match had been broadcast on Channel 9, earlier than being switched to a secondary channel to accommodate for the information at 6pm.

Nevertheless as soon as the tennis protection returned after the information, the main focus was on previewing Novak Djokovic’s conflict with rising star Dino Prizmic – whereas Australia’s Jason Kubler, who went down in 5 units in his personal first-round epic, was given precedence over O’Connell on the back-up channel.

Which means many followers missed out as O’Connell launched his Open marketing campaign with a stirring fightback within the fifth set to win 3-6 7-5 4-6 6-1 7-5.

Viewers trying to observe the conclusion of the match wanted to stream it both on 9Now or the subscription service Stan Sport – nevertheless on social media followers vented their fury.

“Channel 9 waits until Chris O’Connell is into the fifth set, then makes him disappear. Simply think about how these morons will butcher the Olympics,” wrote Albie Patts on Twitter.

O’Connell will subsequent face the winner of Sixteenth seed Ben Shelton and Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, who play afterward Monday.

9.15AM: THE AUSSIE WHO CAN CASH IN ON NOVAK EPIC

Novak Djokovic’s gruelling four-hour first-round victory was an energy-sapping affair – however two Australians would’ve loved it greater than most.

Djokovic booked his place within the second spherical together with his four-set victory over Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, and he’ll face an Australian, with Alexie Popyrin and Marc Polmans battling on Monday for the proper to face the world No.1.

And whenever you’re up in opposition to the GOAT, you should take each benefit at your disposal.

So the Australian pair would’ve been cheering each energy-sapping level Djokovic was dragged into.

“He’s the grasp of in-match administration, of match administration. However he’s approaching 37 years outdated and that was not solely a very lengthy match, however a bodily, lengthy match,” famous tennis journalist Catherine Whitaker.

“He was struggling on the market, Novak Djokovic. Is that the type of struggling he might really feel in his legs later within the match?”

The overall consensus amongst her colleagues on The Tennis Podcast was no, not likely…. Until, in fact, he will get dragged into one other dogfight.

“I believe Popyrin is harmful if he performs (Novak). That’s not ultimate, for my part,” stated David Legislation.

“(However) typically (Novak) going to win most of his matches fairly effectively from right here.

“It’s stating the plain, however Father Time will get him finally. And we’re all simply fascinated to know when that shall be. And in a method Djokovic is simply too – he’s fascinated about how lengthy he can hold this going for.”

8.30AM: THE REST OF DAY TWO ACTION ANALYSED

In-form US Open champion and fourth seed Coco Gauff kicks off the day’s motion on centre courtroom, recent from defending her Auckland Basic title within the lead-up.

The 19-year-old American faces Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and shall be adopted on courtroom by seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, whose job grew to become loads simpler when opponent Matteo Berrettini withdrew with a foot damage on Sunday.

Tsitsipas, who powered into the ultimate final 12 months however was no match for a dominant Novak Djokovic, was resulting from meet the previous world No.6 Italian however will now face Belgian fortunate loser Zizou Bergs.

In one other standout match, harmful Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime will spar with Austrian 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem on Margaret Courtroom Area.

The winner of that conflict might face Daniil Medvedev within the third spherical, ought to the Russian get previous French qualifier Terence Atmane.

Medvedev, a Melbourne finalist in 2021 and 2022, has pledged to be “extra mature’ this 12 months and reduce out the tantrums which can be an indicator of his sport.

“Hopefully I can obtain it this season, and we’re going to see a brand new Daniil Medvedev,” he stated.

Different gamers in motion on day two embrace five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, and girls’s sixth seed Ons Jabeur.

8.00AM – OSAKA RETURN HEADLINES DAY TWO

Naomi Osaka makes her comeback to grand slam tennis on day two of the Australian Open Monday.

New mum Osaka, 26, stepped away from the game in September 2022, citing psychological well being considerations.

After giving delivery to a child woman, Shai, in July, the Japanese star determined to return for the 2024 season, however she has an enormous first hurdle to clear in Sixteenth-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia.

They are going to grace Rod Laver Area within the night session, following on from Australian tenth seed Alex de Minaur’s conflict with big-serving Canadian veteran Milos Raonic.

“I’ve a way more constructive mindset and a way more grateful mindset,” four-time grand slam champion Osaka stated of returning to Melbourne, the scene of her title-winning exploits in 2019 and 2021.

“Tremendous-excited to be again. It’s been actually enjoyable to date.”