Daniil Medvedev destroys a TV camera attached to the net during his 5-set Australian Open win

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Daniil Medvedev used his racket to smash a tiny camera attached to the net at the Australian Open while he was trailing someone ranked 418th before eventually avoiding a monumental upset and winning 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the first round at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

The No. 5-seeded Medvedev earned the title at the 2021 U.S. Open and is a three-time runner-up at Melbourne Park, including a year ago, but was hardly playing his best in the second and third sets against Kasidit Samrej, a wild-card entry from Thailand who was making his Grand Slam debut.

“I know I play better when I play more tennis,” Medvedev joked afterward. “So I was like, ‘Why play 1 hour, 30 (minutes)?’ Need a minimum of three hours, at least, to feel my shots better.”

The camera-destroying racket swings happened in what would be the last game of the third set, which Samrej claimed to take a two-sets-to-one-lead in the best-of-five match.

Medvedev's display of anger came after he lost a 13-stroke point to trail 40-15. Samrej hit a shot that clipped the net, altering its trajectory and throwing off the Russian's balance, before a cross-court forehand passing winner left Medvedev unable to make contact.

Medvedev went up to the net and brought his racket forward with full force five times, breaking his equipment while shattering a small black camera and sending pieces of it flying. That earned a code violation warning for racket abuse from the chair umpire.

Soon enough, Medvedev had dropped the set, leaving him with plenty of work to do to avoid a massive upset in his first match of the 2025 season. Medvedev quickly did turn things around, though, claiming 12 of the remaining 15 games, and 61 of the remaining 94 points.

He finished with 24 aces and fewer than half as many unforced errors as Samrej, 34 to 69.

“In the end of last year, this match, I probably would have lost it,” said Medvedev, who went 3-1 in five-setters at the 2024 Australian Open. “New year, new energy.”

Samrej got treatment from a trainer because of a problem with his left leg late in the fourth set.

He was trying to become the lowest-ranked man to eliminate one of the top five seeded players at a Grand Slam tournament since the ATP's computerized rankings began in 1973, according to the International Tennis Federation.

The biggest such result entering Tuesday was when No. 234 Alex Kim beat No. 4 Yevgeny Kafelnikov at the 2002 Australian Open.

Samrej earned his way into this year's Australian Open bracket by going through four rounds of a wild-card playoff for the Asia-Pacific region in November. He never had played against someone ranked higher than 78th until Tuesday and never has beaten anyone ranked higher than 157th.

“I watched his matches, and I didn't see this level, so I was surprised,” Medvedev said. “If he plays like this every match, his life will be good.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Kasidit Samrej of Thailand plays a forehand return to Daniil Medvedev of Russia during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Daniil Medvedev of Russia plays a backhand return to Kasidit Samrej of Thailand during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Daniil Medvedev of Russia changes his shirt during his first round match against Kasidit Samrej of Thailand at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Kasidit Samrej of Thailand plays a forehand return to Daniil Medvedev of Russia during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Daniil Medvedev of Russia plays a backhand return to Kasidit Samrej of Thailand during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Daniil Medvedev of Russia reacts during his first round match against Kasidit Samrej of Thailand at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — Jury selection began Monday in the assault trial of former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs in connection with a heated dispute he had with his private chef.

The four-time Pro Bowl wideout pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged dispute with his former private chef.

Diggs declined to speak to reporters as he arrived at Norfolk County District Court in Dedham, a Boston suburb.

According to court records, the chef told officers that she and Diggs had argued about money he owed her for work. During the Dec. 2 encounter at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts, she said, he “smacked her across the face” and then “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck,” leaving her feeling short of breath. She told officers she had trouble breathing and felt she could have blacked out.

Diggs’ attorney has said he “categorically denies these allegations,” calling them unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute. Diggs did not speak to reporters outside court in February.

Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with New England last year and was a key target for quarterback Drake Maye during the Patriots’ AFC East title run. Before joining the Patriots, Diggs was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 and played for the Buffalo Bills before a brief stint with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs’ 1,000-yard season with the Patriots marked the seventh of his career. It helped complete a successful career revival after a season-ending knee injury derailed what turned out to be a one-year stay with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs, who led the team with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four touchdowns in his only season with the Patriots, was released by the team in March. Diggs posted a goodbye on social media, thanking the Patriots for the season and saying: “We family forever.”

Diggs has yet to sign with another team.

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)