MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (AP) - Andy Murray had just spent nearly five hours on court in an Australian Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic that ran past midnight.
Then he found out drug testers were looking for him.
“Just a bit annoyed … I know the players go on about it a lot, but they’ve changed these rules with the drug test,” Murray said. “I’ve just done the drug test, the urine test.”
But there was more _ a blood test.
“They just told me I need to sit down for 30 minutes before I can give blood,” Murray said. “I want to get out of here, so I’m annoyed with that, which on top of losing a match like that, it’s really a frustrating thing to have to go through at 1:00 in the morning.”
It’s not the first time Murray has criticized doping control officials.
At the 2009 U.S. Open, he complained when drug testers visited his Manhattan hotel room at 7:15 a.m. on a day off to test him.
He said at the same time that three days before Wimbledon that year, an anti-doping official came his house in Surrey near London after 9 p.m., even though he had put down 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. as his one-hour “slot” to be available to drug testers that day.
“I just think it’s a little bit in your face, the whole thing,” Murray said then.
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NICE CATCH: The star of one of the most-viewed moments of the Australian Open wasn’t Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Maria Sharapova.
It was 14-year-old ball boy Dylan Colaci.
In the third set of the Federer-Nadal semifinal on Thursday night, the Swiss player missed on a first serve and then nonchalantly hit the ball over toward Colaci, who was crouched beside the net.
Colaci reached out and made a one-handed, reflex catch that brought a roar from the crowd _ and instantly went viral on YouTube. The video had been viewed nearly 2 million times in the first 24 hours after the match.
“I didn’t have much time to think about it,” Colaci said. “I just stuck my hand out and the ball just stayed there. I couldn’t believe it myself but then I just had to get straight on with the match.
“As soon as I got off court everybody was talking about it. My parents texted me and it was on Facebook.”
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STREAK CONTINUES: Esther Vergeer keeps racking up the titles at Grand Slams and adding to her incredible winning streak.
The 30-year-old Dutchwoman won the wheelchair doubles event at the Australian Open on Friday with her partner, 41-year-old countrywoman Sharon Walraven. They beat fellow Dutchwomen Aniek Van Koot and Marjolein Buis 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Vergeer earned her 22nd Grand Slam doubles title and ninth at the Australian Open, according to the International Tennis Federation.
Vergeer has a chance to add to her title collection Saturday when she plays Van Koot for the singles trophy. She’s also going for her 444th straight victory in singles _ a nine-year winning streak.
Vergeer thanked the crowd on Show Court No. 2 for their support after her doubles win.
“Doubles is fun to play, and we had an amazing atmosphere today,” she said. “It gave me a real kick to play here.”
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COURTING ATTIRE: After reaching her first Grand Slam final, the big question for Bethanie Mattek-Sands was what to wear for the occasion.
The 26-year-old American, known for her sometimes outlandish fashion sense, and her Romanian partner Horia Tecau advanced to the mixed doubles final on Friday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi of India in the semifinals.
They’ll play Elena Vesnina of Russia and Leander Paes of India in Sunday’s final.
Tecau has been in this situation before _ he’s reached the men’s doubles final at Wimbledon the last two years, losing both times.
“It’s a huge one, obviously, being in any Slam final no matter what one it is,” she said.
Mattek-Sands has made a statement with her outfits at past majors. Last year, she wore a Lady Gaga-esque white jacket decorated with real tennis balls on court for her first-round match at Wimbledon. She once wore a low-cut leopard-print number at the U.S. Open, complete with a leopard-print visor.
She already has some ideas if she makes the U.S. team for the London Olympics, too. “I wanted to do some gold, either get a gold racket or gold shoes or something,” she said.
So what does she have in store for the mixed doubles final?
“Actually, I might go shopping,” she said, with a laugh. “It’s tough when you pack. I can only pack so much. I’m already over all my baggage limits.”
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FIRST TO FOURTH: Caroline Wozniacki, who will lose her No. 1 ranking after losing to Kim Clijsters in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, will drop to fourth when the new rankings are announced Monday.
The WTA said Friday regardless of the winner of Saturday’s final _ Victoria Azarenka or Maria Sharapova _ Wozniacki will drop three places. Azarenka or Sharapova will become the new No. 1.
Wozniacki spent 67 weeks at the top of the rankings despite not winning a Grand Slam title. She’s already moved on, training in Dubai ahead of tournaments in Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami.
She’s also taking some time to pamper herself.
“Having a foot massage in the lounge in Dubai airport. Feels amazing after a 14 hour flight!:)” Wozniacki tweeted Friday.
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AP Sports Writer Caroline Cheese contributed to this report.
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