WATCH: Daria Saville and Ellen Perez hilariously smash a racket, attempt a cannonball & more to test out cardboard beds at Paris Olympic Village
Australian tennis players Daria Saville and Ellen Perez tested out the cardboard beds at the Paris Olympics Village. Saville and Perez are among nine players who will represent Australia at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Over 14,000 cardboard beds will be made available throughout the Olympic Village and are made from fully recycled materials. The organizers did so to make the event the most sustainable in the history of the games. Additionally, the beds come with different firmness adjustments which can be changed according to a player's preference.
Team Australia has arrived at the Olympic Village, and two of its members, Daria Saville and Ellen Perez, were seen testing out the strength of the cardboard beds in Paris. In a video posted by a fan on X, Saville, and Perez did numerous activities such as smashing their rackets and attempting a cannonball on the bed.
You can watch the video down below:
Daria Saville and doubles World No. 9 Ellen Perez will partner in the doubles tournament at the Paris Olympics 2024.
The Australian tennis team will be led by Ajla Tomljanovic and Alex de Minaur, who is making his Olympic debut in Paris. Moreover, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Rinky Hijikata, John Peers, and Matthew Ebden are also part of the men's team. Tennis in the Olympics will start from Saturday, July 27.
Daria Saville recalled fan distractions during her 1R match at Wimbledon 2023
Daria Saville returned to the court last year at the Wimbledon Championships after being away for eight months due to an ankle injury. However, she faced difficulties during her first-round match against Katie Boulter due to some distracting incident.
First, a protestor who was a member of the Just Stop Oil group interrupted the match throwing orange confetti on the court. The incident broke Saville's concentration as she suffers from ADHD ( Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
The Aussie revealed that she struggled with concentration during the match due to the incident. Additionally, some people at the back were making farting noises, which were distracting for her given her struggles with ADHD.
“I’ve always struggled with concentration, so it is probably the toughest circumstances I have had to deal with. It was, ‘Oh my god, why on my court?’. I am the worst at being able to focus,” she said ( via Fox Sports).
“There were four guys at the back making farting noises that were really distracting. Farting noises, quietly going ‘pftt’”. “It really annoyed me and I have ADHD, so ... it drove me nuts,” Saville added.
Despite leading 4-2 in the first set, Saville lost to Katie Boulter 7-6, 6-2 facing an early exit from the London Major last year. The 30-year-old reached the second round at Wimbledon 2024, where Marta Kostyuk defeated her 6-4, 6-7 (2), 4-6.