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This latest edition of the Australian Open 2022 has entered tennis history: Rafael Nadal is the first player to reach 21 career Grand Slam titles. The Spanish tennis player won the first Grand Slam of the season by beating the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final in five sets, in comeback.
The Moscow-born tennis player was the co-star of the Australian Open: not only for the tennis shown in the two Australian weeks, but also and above all for the press conference following the defeat. In the latter, Medvedev made a long speech about his career, stating that the child inside him "had stopped dreaming" and that he would only play for himself, for his family and for the Russian people.
Medvedev's reference goes, first of all, to the whistles that were given to him during the match and especially during his shift. Not only shouts, however: some videos of fans testify to some xenophobic shouts, referring to the nationality of the Russian.
Aslan Karatsev talked about the shouts and boos of the crowd, as well as about Medvedev's press conference. The Russian tennis player goes against the grain of what emerged from the press conference of his countryman: "For me it is quite normal for the fans to support Rafa."
Karatsev: "The same happens if you face Federer"
Karatsev's words linger on the importance that game had for the Australian Open winning tennis player: "Nadal has just returned to the circuit, he hadn't played tennis for almost six months, it is clear that the fans will support him.
He's coming back from injury, exactly the same happens if you face Roger Federer, yes, I know he can get to bother you, especially when the fans try to distract you while you are serving, but I think Daniil will realize sooner or later of all this and will turn the page," said Karatsev.
In the press conference from Pune, where the Russian tennis player is seeded in the tournament, Aslan Karatsev underlines how the fact that Federer and Nadal have made tennis history affects the audience and the cheering.
On what opponents can do, Karatsev says: "This happened to me too, but you can't do anything. You can't ask the fans to support you, it wouldn't make any sense." Aslan Karatsev is currently playing in the ATP 250 tournament in Pune, India.
The Russian player will face Elias Ymer in the round of 16, who in the previous round defeated the Italian Gian Marco Moroni in three sets.