It wasn't so much break point at the Australian Open last night, but breaking point.

High-profile players Marcos Baghdatis and David Nalbandian put on very public and extraordinary displays on court last night, each bashing their racquets on the ground in fury.

In the most spectacular courtside tantrum, Baghdatis systematically destroyed four racquets in a row after falling two sets down to 21st seed Stanislas Wawrinka on Margaret Court Arena.

The Cypriot, a favourite among Australian tennis fans since he was runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open, finally lost it after dropping serve early in the third set.

At the change of ends he sat down at his seat and furiously smashed his racquet onto the ground seven times, annihilating the frame.

"I think that's one of the best I've seen," commentator Todd Woodbridge said at the time.

But it didn't end there.

Baghdatis calmly handed his mangled racquet to the ballboy, before withdrawing another from his bag and giving it the same violent treatment.

He didn't even bother taking the third racquet out of its plastic packaging before cracking it on the ground, nor the fourth.

Perhaps venting that frustration worked, because Baghdatis went on to win the third set. However he eventually lost the match to Wawrinka 7-6 (3), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.

Earlier in the night, Argentinian David Nalbandian blew up at the "stupid" umpire who oversaw his defeat to American John Isner.

In the tense final stages of a five-set cliffhanger, an Isner serve down the middle was called out by the linesman, however French umpire Kader Nouni overruled that decision.

Nalbandian then challenged, but Nouni said it was too late.

Replays showed the ball was, in fact, a fault. Nalbandian marched to the umpire's chair, gesticulating as the crowd noise intensified.

"Can you be that stupid to do that?" Nalbandian said afterwards.

After losing the marathon match, which ran to four hours and 48 minutes, Nalbandian angrily threw his racquet across the court.

As he shook hands with Isner, his racquet, with its head caved in, lay near the sideline.

"It's ridiculous playing this kind of tournament with this kind of umpire," said Nalbandian. "Incredible."