Media Mishap Sparks Medvedev Meltdown as the Russian Exits US Open/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Daniil Medvedev’s U.S. Open match was thrown into chaos after a photographer entered the court on match point, triggering a heated dispute and prolonged delay. Medvedev, enraged by the chair umpire’s decision to award a first serve, was ultimately defeated by Benjamin Bonzi in five sets. The match stirred controversy, echoing Medvedev’s past tensions with crowds and officials.
Medvedev’s U.S. Open Meltdown: Quick Looks
- Daniil Medvedev’s match was delayed six minutes after a photographer entered the court.
- The chair umpire allowed Benjamin Bonzi to retake his first serve, sparking Medvedev’s outrage.
- Medvedev argued the delay wasn’t long enough to justify a replayed serve.
- He shouted at the umpire and sarcastically referenced Reilly Opelka’s past fine.
- The match turned wild, with crowd boos and Medvedev egging them on.
- Bonzi claimed Medvedev escalated the situation and disrupted the game’s flow.
- Medvedev won two sets after the delay but lost the final set 6-4.
- Bonzi called it his greatest career win, citing the mental challenge.
- Medvedev has a history of fan confrontations at the U.S. Open.
- Following the match, Medvedev smashed his racket and left in frustration.
- The photographer’s credential was revoked by U.S. Open security.
Media Mishap Sparks Medvedev Meltdown as Russian Exits US Open
Deep Look
NEW YORK (AP) — Daniil Medvedev’s turbulent run at Grand Slam tournaments continued Sunday night with a dramatic and controversial U.S. Open loss that featured crowd hostility, a mid-match meltdown, and a delayed match point caused by a photographer’s unexpected intrusion.
The match against France’s Benjamin Bonzi came to a boiling point late in the third set when Medvedev, trailing two sets to none and facing elimination, exploded over a ruling by chair umpire Greg Allensworth. After Bonzi missed a first serve while leading 5-4, a photographer left his post and walked along the side of the court. Allensworth halted play and granted Bonzi another first serve, a standard call in professional tennis under similar interruptions.
“He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” Medvedev shouted.
The interruption delayed the match for over six minutes as boos from the crowd rained down. Medvedev, a past U.S. Open champion known for feeding off crowd hostility, initially embraced the jeers, blowing kisses and sarcastically applauding the fans. Then, attempting to calm the crowd for Bonzi’s serve, he signaled for quiet.
Speaking after the match, Medvedev made clear that his frustration wasn’t directed at the photographer.
“The delay from the photographer was probably four seconds and a half. I’m not sure it’s enough for a first serve,” he said, emphasizing that his anger was focused on what he saw as an overly generous ruling.
Medvedev also referenced American player Reilly Opelka, who had been fined earlier in the year for calling the same umpire
“the worst on tour.” During the heated exchange, Medvedev yelled, “What did Reilly Opelka say?” before backing away from the chair. When asked later to clarify, Medvedev responded dryly: “I’m getting big fine enough, so if I speak I’m in big trouble. Everyone knows what I talked about.”
Bonzi, for his part, said the disruption came from Medvedev’s side. “The rule is the rule,” Bonzi stated. “Daniil started it, and he put oil on the fire.”
Bonzi held off the comeback attempt and ultimately defeated Medvedev in a roller-coaster five-set match: 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4. He called it the biggest win of his career and admitted that the crowd’s jeering and delay made serving extremely difficult.
“I felt I didn’t do anything bad to get booed,” Bonzi said. “Every time I went to serve, the crowd made it hard to focus. You need to hear the ball, and I couldn’t.”
The disruption evoked memories of Medvedev’s infamous 2019 U.S. Open antics, also at Louis Armstrong Stadium, when he received multiple code violations, antagonized the crowd, and made obscene gestures. Despite that controversy, he advanced to the final that year and won the tournament in 2021.
This year’s U.S. Open marks another frustrating exit for the 13th seed, who has struggled in Grand Slams recently. He exited in the first round of Wimbledon, also at the hands of Bonzi, and posted a disappointing 1-4 Grand Slam record for the year.
After the final point, Medvedev remained seated for several minutes, visibly fuming. In a display of frustration, he smashed his racket repeatedly before making his way off the court.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Tennis Association confirmed after the match that the photographer who walked onto the court had his credential revoked and was escorted out by security.
As the U.S. Open continues, Medvedev’s behavior once again sparks debate—whether it’s crowd manipulation, officiating decisions, or his fiery temperament, the Russian remains one of the sport’s most polarizing figures.
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