Share

Don't boo Nadal - Wawrinka

Melbourne - Stanislas Wawrinka took Australian Open fans to task on Sunday after sections of the crowd booed Rafael Nadal for taking a medical timeout during the dramatic men's singles final.

GALLERY: Aus Open Men's Final

The newly crowned champion said it was "not that nice" that fans booed the Spanish world number one, who was in clear discomfort with a back injury during the second set.

"I think it was not that nice, especially Rafa. We all know that he's a great guy, a great player," Wawrinka said. "He's always a really fair player. He always tries his best. He is always fighting."

The Swiss added: "Yeah, was quite strange that the crowd started to boo him."

Wawrinka also had a long argument with the chair umpire when Nadal left the court for treatment, insisting he should be told the nature of his opponent's injury.

"I just wanted to know what was the problem of Rafa. Because before he asked for the physio, he was checking his feet. I didn't know really what was the problem," he said.

"Normally when the physio is coming on the court, the umpire always tells the opponent why he's coming. He didn't want to tell me, so I got (annoyed)."

Wawrinka eventually won the match in four sets to claim his maiden Grand Slam title, in his first major final.

He said he still planned to play Switzerland's Davis Cup tie with Serbia, starting on Friday - providing he survives his raucous celebrations.

"Davis Cup, it's really important for me. I'm really proud. It's a big honour to play for my country. So for sure I'm still thinking to go there," he said.

"I don't know how I'm going to get there exactly, if I'm still going to be alive after tonight, but I'm going to go there... There's a big chance I get drunk tonight, but we'll see."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
68% - 2733 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
32% - 1280 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE