The end was for two separate incidents. The largest of which was $107,000 for “inappropriate conduct” during his second-round defeat to qualifier Learner Tien, which included throwing a racquet, expressing displeasure about foot faults and skipping the post-match press conference. “Missile or Equipment Misuse” for a broken camera was a cheap $13,000.
It’s safe to say that Tennis Australia has come down pretty hard on Medvedev, which makes it all the more curious that the governing body decided to use his antics in its promotional material for the 2026 tournament at the official Australian Open launch in October.
The standard we pass by is the standard we accept, right? So the question is, does highlighting bad behavior mean you agree with it? And were the fines enough to highlight the seriousness of the offence?
In Medvedev’s case, it seems that enough time has passed for us to laugh at the crazy incident.
Bad behavior in promotional materials is a bait for tennis daredevils and seasoned fans alike. It’s saying, look at the drama! This is what you could see if you keep watching. Showing it doesn’t mean they endorse it.
And blowouts with the champions are always the most memorable moments of the Open.
An emotional Daniil Medvedev expresses his feelings to the head referee.Credit: Getty Images
The one that lives rent-free in my mind is the “little cat” incident of 2022.
I will say this upfront that any time a player attacks the referee during a match, a line needs to be drawn. Referees do what they can, and it’s not an easy job, especially when the crowd and players can be up against them at times.
But I think the way head referee Jaume Campistol shrugged off this next incident means we can talk about it.
During the 2022 Australian Open semi-final between Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Medvedev condemned Campistola for allegedly allowing Tsitsipas to receive coaching from his father Apostolos. At the time, sideline coaching was not allowed as it is now, and after a tirade that included asking the referee if he was crazy and stupid, Medvedev said: “You’re, what should I call, a little cat”.
The Australian Open has had some of the strangest and most infamous tantrums in recent times.
There’s Marcos Baghdatis’ four-racquet smash in 2012, CoCo Vandeweghe’s 2018 banana code violation and, at the extreme end of the scale, John McEnroe’s 1990 disqualification for repeated code violations, including intimidating a linesman, breaking his racket and swearing at a tournament umpire.
The irony and intrigue is that McEnroe is now a fixture on the Australian Open coverage, and the seriousness of the incident is in stark contrast to the upbeat music that plays in the background of the video on the Australian Open YouTube channel. Time heals many wounds.
Then there are incidents where we can be a little more lenient, like when Aryna Sabalenka smashed her racket after losing in the 2025 Australian Open final. It was a rush of blood to the head, an outpouring of emotion and a cathartic release for the former champion before she had to stand up and give her second speech after a crushing defeat.
So as the next Australian Open approaches, get ready for some drama. Right now, the villain card is still out there, but you can guarantee someone will grab it with both hands.
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