Sky Sports apologise after accidentally showing grim Italian Open footage | Tennis | Sport
Sky Sports commentators were forced to apologise when Serbian tennis star Hamad Medjedovic vomited on the court moments before winning his third-round match at the Italian Open. The world No. 67 came back from a set down to force a decider against Mariano Navone out on Court Pietrangeli.
And Medjedovic was serving for the match when the three-hour contest started to take a toll on his body. After giving himself a second match point opportunity, he walked to the back of the court and threw up on the clay.
“Ooh. Well, he has been battling for three hours, he might be coming up against his limits here. Can we get through one more point? Sorry that we got that on camera, everyone,” commentator Naomi Cavaday told Sky Sports viewers.
Still holding a match point, Medjedovic quickly went to his bench to sort himself out before playing on. “Just a delay as he has a drink, washes his mouth out. We are going to play the match point now. Just needs to find a way over the line now,” Cavaday added.
It only took a few moments, the fans inside Court Pietrangeli were getting antsy, whistling and jeering as they waited for the Serb to return to the baseline. He played on but blew his second match point, sending the ball long.
But Medjedovic finally got the job done at the third time of asking, closing out a 4-6 6-3 6-4 comeback victory to reach the last 16 of a Masters 1000 event for the very first time in his career.
“And he’s done it! He’s pushed himself to the limit, and possibly beyond. His coach can’t believe it. What an effort, what a fight. This court has been jam-packed all day, for every moment of this match,” Cavaday explained.
“Navone is not happy, but it’s Hamad Medjedovic who is into the round of 16. He’s left it all out there, and then some. He will play Martin Landaluce for a spot in the quarter-final.”
The world No. 67 has been on a roll during the clay season. He qualified for last month’s Barcelona Open and stormed into the semi-finals, beating third seed Alex de Minaur on his way. And he’s now through to the fourth round of the Italian Open.
It’s been a brutal run for Medjedovic, who upset 27th seed Joao Fonseca in the previous round and had to deal with the raucous crowd who were firmly supporting the Brazilian teenager. After winning in a final set tiebreak, the 22-year-old taunted the crowd and said goodnight to them – and to Fonseca’s chances of progressing in Rome – as he gestured that he was going to sleep.
The scenes were very different on Court Pietrangeli on Monday, as Medjedovic became emotional as he celebrated his milestone run with his team. He now faces lucky loser Landaluce for a place in the quarter-finals.
