With the controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, pundits and fans had hoped that things could settle down and improve. However, there was another controversy as well, which led to fines on both Medvedev and Tsitsipas during the semifinal.
Daniil Medvedev, who went on to lose to Rafa Nadal in the final, had accused Stefanos Tsitsipas’s father of coaching him from the seats. Medvedev then apparently lost it at the umpire’s inaction and went on to hurl obscenities at him.
“Are you mad? Are you mad?” Medvedev screamed at Campistol during the second set of his 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win on Rod Laver Arena.
“His father can coach every point? Are you stupid? His father can talk every point? His father can talk every point?
“Answer my question. Will you answer my question?”
Medvedev continued: “Oh my God, you are so bad, man. How can you be so bad in semifinal? Look at me. I’m talking to you.”
Medvedev later went on to mention that he regretted his action. The apology, however, wasn’t enough to save him from a $17,000 fine.
“Before every return his [Tsitsipas’s father] was talking Greek,” Medvedev told his media conference.
“I don’t know, maybe [if] he’s saying, ‘Come on, come on’, there is no problem.
“I asked him [Campistol] if he [Tsitsipas’s father] can talk. He said he can talk but he can’t coach.
“Then I said, ‘Do you speak Greek? If not, the guy is talking, talking, talking’. I don’t know what he says.
“I don’t consider coaching as cheating but it should be a code violation.”
Tsitsipas, on the contrary, said he couldn’t hear anything and was appalled at Medvedev’s behavior.
“I cannot hear anything when I’m playing. It’s impossible. Having the crowd being so loud in every single point, you have to have super hearing to be able to hear what your coach says,” said Tsitsipas.