That barrage of boos echoing around Rod Laver Arena last night was the sound of propaganda meeting reality.

Tennis Australia chair Jayne Hrdlicka supposed she would get a warm round of applause when she thanked the Victorian government during the Australian Open men’s trophy presentation.

Instead, the crowd hissed and jeered, prompting the corporate spiv to call them “a very opinionated crowd”.

Well, imagine a group of people who have endured a year of harsh lockdowns having an opinion about their jailers?

Hrdlicka, leading with her chin, told tennis fans: “There are many other people to thank that enabled this great night to take...