Australian Open: TikTok ban hits stars, Medvedev fined and when de Minaur plays

The US ban on TikTok has frustrated some, while the scorching Australian weather led to a hefty fine for Medvedev due to emotional outbursts. Furthermore, on day eight of the Australian Open, several prominent players secured victories, while Djokovic protested against media coverage.

Following the ban of the social media platform TikTok in the US, tennis stars in Australia have expressed their dismay. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, after easily defeating 17-year-old Andreeva, spoke about her favorite app and its impending ban. She stated her hope that the matter would be resolved as she enjoys using TikTok. American third seed Coco Gauff also wrote "RIP TikTok USA" along with a broken heart on the camera, expressing her regret over the ban.

Carlos Alcaraz only played two sets in his match against British player Jack Draper due to Draper's retirement. However, he had a verbal altercation with chair umpire Fergus Murphy during the match. Alcaraz felt the timer between serves started too early, not giving him enough time to prepare. He complained to Murphy that the 25-second timer was already at 10 seconds by the time he wiped his sweat and requested the ball, which greatly displeased him. Murphy's time management issues are not new, as Nick Kyrgios has previously expressed dissatisfaction with him for the same reason.

Despite being annoyed in the first set of his fourth-round match, Alcaraz showed his class and character after the match ended prematurely. After Draper retired due to physical issues, Alcaraz expressed his support for him and said he believed he would come back stronger. He also wrote a message of encouragement to Draper on the camera: "You will get where you deserve. Get well soon Jack!" These moments elevate the meaning of competition in professional sports.

Daniil Medvedev suffered another blow to his bad week in Melbourne. He was fined $76,000, or approximately AUD 123,000, for smashing his racket into a small broadcast camera on the net multiple times during his first-round match due to emotional outbursts. He was also fined for violating the code of conduct in his match against Tine, where he again lost his temper and threw his racket. These actions resulted in his hefty fines.

The last Australian singles player, Alex de Minaur, will play his fourth-round match against American Alex Michelsen in the prime-time slot on day nine. He will take to Rod Laver Arena after the match between women's second seed Iga Swiatek and lucky loser Eva Lys. Additionally, top-seeded junior players Emerson Jones and Cruz Hewitt will continue their men's and women's singles matches, while 15-year-old Renee Alame will begin her second-round women's match against 12th seed Alena Kovackova.