Russia is obviously a huge nation when it comes to the Olympics which is why the doping controversy surrounding their athletes sent shockwaves around the world.

While Russian track and field athletes were not allowed to take part in last summer’s Rio 2016 Olympics, tennis players were given a reprieve and Ekaterina Makarova walked away from Brazil with a gold medal, which she won in doubles alongside Elena Vesnina.

Yesterday, the Russian lefty explained how massive it is to win an Olympic gold medal in her home country.

“It’s a very big thing in Russia. We get a lot of money and we get a lot of – we get the car from the president. Not other countries will get this,” revealed the 28-year-old.

“And when you are Olympic champion, you can be in your country, wherever you want to go, they will let you go, because it’s a very big status in Russia.”

There’s even a system for which car one gets, depending on the medal they have won.

“BMW X6 for gold. X5 for silver. X4 for bronze,” said Makarova, who obviously got the biggest BMW for her golden efforts.

Well, at least it’s a fair system…

Makarova then added that she believed the doping scandal was more about politics than anything else.

“The Russians, always something happens with the Russians. We are fighting, and I think we are just the strongest people in the world, yeah, because we – I don’t know. We just need to survive in our country, and sometimes it’s a lot of things that… so we are so hard inside.”

Kerber raises her game

Things were less serious in Angelique Kerber’s press conference after her straight-sets win over Mona Barthel.

The pair contested a 26-shot rally at one point during the match and Kerber admits she was proud of her efforts in that one.

“Maybe I win the ‘Shot of the Month’, not Aga again,” she said with a laugh, referring to Agnieskza Radwanska, whose incredible hot shots tend to take that honour each month.

The top seed then discussed her unique dining experience near Dubai Marina on Monday, where she was joined by her team and WTA president Mickey Lawler for a “Dinner in the Sky”.

The unique dining concept takes guests 50 metres up, suspended by a crane, to enjoy a meal while overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

Sounds like a bad version of a theme park free fall ride if you ask me, but Kerber seemed to enjoy it.

“It was nice,” said the world No2.

“I’m fine with the heights, so I was really enjoying it.

“My team was a little bit scared on top of the skies, but no, I was enjoying it. I was looking around. I mean, they were sitting like this (demonstrating clenched arms). But I had a good time.”

Just imagine her coach Torben Beltz’s reaction to that dinner! Shame we missed it.