US Open Drama: Daniil Medvedev Fumes at Umpire After Cameraman Walks Onto Court

France’s Benjamin Bonzi produced one of the biggest shocks at the US Open by defeating 13th seed Daniil Medvedev in a dramatic five-set thriller.

The late-night encounter at Flushing Meadows on Sunday descended into controversy after Medvedev’s extraordinary meltdown in the third set.

Bonzi held his nerve to win 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4 in three hours and 45 minutes, booking his place in the second round.

Controversial Incident in the Third Set

The tension erupted when Bonzi, leading two sets to love and serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, reached advantage on match point.

After faulting on his first serve, a photographer mistakenly walked onto the court, forcing chair umpire Greg Allensworth to halt play.

Allensworth asked for the photographer to leave, saying, “Not now, get off the court, please,” before awarding Bonzi a new first serve due to “outside interference.”

This decision infuriated Medvedev, who stormed across the court to confront the umpire. “Are you a man? Are you a man?” the 2021 US Open champion shouted before accusing Allensworth of trying to end the match early.

He then grabbed a courtside microphone and yelled, “He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here; he gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

Crowd Uproar and Medvedev’s Comeback

Medvedev incited the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium, waving his arms to encourage boos and jeers. Play was suspended for over six minutes as the noise grew deafening.

When play resumed, Bonzi—visibly unsettled—failed to close out the match. Medvedev saved match point, forced a tie-break, and won it to stay alive. The Russian then dominated the fourth set 6-0, sending the contest to a deciding fifth.

Despite momentum shifting, Bonzi showed resilience. He recovered from two breaks in the final set before breaking Medvedev himself to clinch a famous victory.

Bonzi Reflects on the Chaos

Speaking after the match, Bonzi admitted the incident shook his concentration. “It was crazy. I may have got some new fans but also some new non-fans,” he said.

“The energy was wild. Thanks to all those who were booing that gave me energy in the fifth.”

He added, “I never experienced something like that. Maybe we wait five minutes before the match point, and it was so difficult to play. I tried to stay calm and stay in the match, but it was not easy.”

Medvedev’s Frustration Boils Over

After the loss, Medvedev slumped in his chair and smashed a racquet in anger.

He later hurled six racquets from his bag into the stands before repeatedly slamming the one he had used during the match against the bench, injuring his hand in the process.

Fans took to social media to criticize his behavior. One wrote, “Pathetic stuff from Medvedev and the crowd. I don’t know how that’s not an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.”

Another said, “That was absolutely insane. Full credit to Bonzi for keeping it together in the 5th, especially after everything that happened earlier.”

Some accused Medvedev of deliberately disrupting the match. “He practically rigged the 3rd set by instigating the crowd for 6 minutes. Just imagine it was Bonzi who did the same thing?” one fan commented.

A Repeat of Past Incidents

This was not the first time Medvedev clashed with the US Open crowd.

In 2019, also at Louis Armstrong Stadium, he was fined $9,000 after snatching a towel from a ball person, throwing his racquet, and making an obscene gesture toward the umpire. Despite the backlash, he said at the time that the boos gave him energy.

Sunday’s meltdown mirrored those antics, with Medvedev once again provoking spectators and officials in the heat of battle.

Medvedev’s Disappointing Season

With the defeat, Medvedev became the first former champion to exit this year’s tournament. His performance capped a frustrating season in the majors, where he reached the second round only once.

Bonzi, meanwhile, claimed his second straight opening-round win over Medvedev, having also beaten him at Wimbledon earlier this year.

Post-Match Reactions and Fallout

Medvedev remained defiant after the match. “I’m getting big fine enough, so if I speak I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak,” he told reporters. “Everyone knows what I talked about when I said Reilly. Reilly got fined big-time for this, so I’m going to get a big fine, too.”

He clarified that he was not upset with the photographer but with the umpire’s decision. “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.

German tennis legend Boris Becker also weighed in, sharing a video of Medvedev’s outburst and writing, “We call this ‘public meltdown.’ I think he needs professional help?!”