How Roger Federer responded when Pat Cash accused him of ‘legalised cheating’ at the Australian Open

Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the 2017 Australian Open remaining.

The Swiss icon won his seventeenth Grand Slam title in Australia 9 years in the past, defeating arguably his biggest rival, Nadal, in the remaining. Federer required remedy to his thigh and took a medical timeout during the fifth set.

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“It’s cheating, and it’s being allowed. It’s legal cheating, but it’s still not right,” said Cash during BBC Radio 5 Live’s Australian Open protection.

Federer was requested about Cash’s feedback during his post-match press convention, where he delivered a response to the 1987 Wimbledon champion.

Roger Federer did not know what Pat Cash was speaking about after he criticised him at the 2017 Australian Open

“Look, I mean, I explained myself a couple of days ago after the Stan [Wawrinka] match. Yeah, my leg has been hurting since the [Noah] Rubin match. I was happy that I was able to navigate through the pain,” said Federer.

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Roger Federer at the 2017 Australian Open

• 1R [WIN] vs Jurgen Melzer, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

• 2R [WIN] vs Noah Rubin, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6

• 3R [WIN] vs Tomas Berdych, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4

• 4R [WIN] vs Kei Nishikori, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

• QF [WIN] vs Mischa Zverev, 6-1, 7-5, 6-2

• SF [WIN] vs Stan Wawrinka, 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3

• F [WIN] vs Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

“For some reason, against Stan, I had it from the start on both sides of the groin. After he took a medical timeout, I thought I could also take one for a change and see if something like a massage during the match is actually going to help me.

“It did a little bit, probably. I’m not sure. And then right this moment, most likely, effectively, I felt my quad halfway through the second set already, and my groin began to harm halfway through the third set.

“I just told myself, the rules are there; you can use them. I also think we shouldn’t be using these rules or abusing the system. I think I’ve led the way for 20 years.

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2017 Australian Open final – Match stats

2017 Australian Open final – Match stats

“So I think, to be essential, there is exaggerating. I’m the last man to call a medical timeout. So I do not know what he’s speaking about.”

Federer clearly wasn’t happy with Cash’s accusation and defended his use of the medical timeout against Nadal. Unsurprisingly, Nadal himself was asked about the controversy during his post-match press conference.

“No opinion about that. I do not know what’s going on,” said Nadal.

Federer argued that he would be the ‘last guy’ to call a medical timeout, claiming he ‘led the way’ throughout his career. The 20-time Grand Slam champion won the ‘Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award’ a record 13 times. If that doesn’t dispel any rumours of him ‘cheating’, nothing will.

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Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award winners

• Stefan Edberg – 5 (ATP Sportsmanship Award)

• Todd Martin – 2 (ATP Sportsmanship Award)

The medical timeout controversy between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev in Australia

Nine years after Federer’s medical timeout in Australia, Carlos Alcaraz induced more controversy in Melbourne. During his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev, he requested for remedy and obtained a medical timeout.

Zverev believed Alcaraz was being handled for cramps, which is not permitted under Grand Slam guidelines. The German complained during the match and in his post-match press convention.

“Yeah, I imply, he was cramping, so usually you can’t take a medical timeout for cramping, yeah. What can I do? It’s not my determination. I did not like it, but it’s not my determination. I just said it was b—-, principally,” said Zverev.

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Alcaraz defeated Zverev in 5 units, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, to attain the Australian Open remaining, where he beat Novak Djokovic to full his Career Grand Slam.