A man was left red-faced at the Australian Open after having his accreditation pass taken away for snapping a selfie with Jannik Sinner just minutes before Sunday’s final. Sinner fought back from two sets down to claim a 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev, marking the first Grand Slam title of his young career.
As Sinner was preparing to enter the court, he was involved in a pre-match incident with an accredited person. The man approached Sinner and took a selfie with him but was immediately stripped of his accreditation pass by a security worker, who quickly guided him away.
The Australian Open is famously strict in its protection of athletes, with media members prevented from taking selfies with players. It is likely that the man would have been evicted from the main arena given that his accreditation was no longer recognised.
Stan Sport commentator Mark Petchey had just gone live and mentioned the incident, which was caught on camera, saying: “Hello and welcome to everyone for today’s men’s final of the Australian Open, and there is one of the men of the moment and everybody wants to get a picture with him prior to the final because he may well emerge as the champion, Jannik Sinner.”
Sinner did not appear to be deterred, though, with the 22-year-old going on to wrap up his maiden Grand Slam title by pulling off one of the great Australian Open comebacks. He looked down and out as Medvedev took control in the early stages but managed to turn things around as his Russian opponent began to tire.
Medvedev made a flying start to proceedings, quickly wrapping up the first set before doubling his advantage thanks to a handful of crucial break points. He went on to feel the effects of fatigue as the match progressed, allowing Sinner to give himself a lifeline by halving the deficit in the third set.
Sinner began to turn the screw in the fourth, building up some much-needed momentum by pulling off a few breaks of his own. He went on to clinch the decisive set to complete a remarkable turnaround and become the first Italian player, man or woman, to win a singles title at the Australian Open.
Speaking after the match, Sinner paid an emotional tribute to his parents by saying that he wished that every child had the freedom to pursue their dreams, just as he did.
“Everyone who’s watching from home, especially my family… I wish everyone could have my parents,” he said. “They always let me choose whatever I wanted to. Even when I was younger, I played some other sports. They never put pressure on me. I wish this freedom is possible for as many young kids as possible. Thank you so much to my parents.”
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