Daniil Medvedev has spoken out about the fiery meltdown that erupted during his first-round match at the US Open against Benjamin Bonzi. The 29-year-old Russian, a former champion in New York, lost his temper after a photographer entered the court at a crucial moment, but insists it was the chair umpire’s ruling that pushed him over the edge.
The On-Court Incident
On Monday, August 25, 2025, Medvedev’s match against Bonzi was interrupted when freelance photojournalist Selcuk Acar stepped onto the court just as Bonzi prepared his second serve on match point in the third set.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth immediately intervened, saying, “Wait, please, not now. Get off the court, please,” before awarding Bonzi a first serve due to the disruption. The score stood at 6-3, 7-5, 5-4 with Bonzi holding the advantage.
© Elsa“Allensworth announced: ‘First serve. Ladies and gentlemen, because of the delay caused by an onside interference, first serve has been granted.’”
This ruling sent Medvedev into a rage. He smashed his racket on the hard court amid boos from the crowd and stormed toward the umpire, shouting, “Are you a man? Why are you shaking? He wants to go home, guys; he doesn’t like being here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
Watch the meltdown
From Rage to Defeat
Despite rallying to push the match into a deciding fifth set, Medvedev fell 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 0-6, 6-4. In frustration, he struck his racket against his chair as Bonzi celebrated.
At his post-match press conference, Medvedev made it clear his anger was directed at the umpire’s decision, not the photographer’s intrusion.“I was not upset with the photographer. It was nothing special,” he said.
© CHARLY TRIBALLEAU“Every time there’s a sound from the stands between serves, there is never a second serve. But, well, that helped me get back into the match. It was a fun moment to live. I wasn’t upset with the photographer. I was upset with the decision.”
Watch him explain his reaction
Facing Fines and Fallout
Medvedev admitted he expects a fine for his outburst but avoided further criticism of the chair umpire. “I’m getting a big fine enough, so if I speak, I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak,” he said.
He also insisted he did not intentionally incite the crowd:“What I say and what I do, in my head, I want to do worse, and I cannot because there are rules, because we’re on a tennis court. So I just expressed my emotions, my unhappiness with the decision, and then the crowd did what they did without me asking them too much, and it was fun to witness.”
© ElsaBonzi later suggested Medvedev had escalated the situation.“It’s not my call to say first serve. Daniil started it. He put oil on the fire,” Bonzi said.
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