NEW YORK — Daniil Medvedev’s match was delayed more than six minutes between points Sunday night after a photographer entered the court on match point, and the 2021 US Open champion became enraged by the chair umpire’s decision to award his opponent a first serve.
The latest Medvedev meltdown on Louis Armstrong Stadium led to a wild change in the match. The No. 13 seed was a point from being eliminated by Benjamin Bonzi for the second straight Grand Slam tournament. Instead, Medvedev won the next two sets to force a deciding fifth early Monday.
Bonzi recovered, however, to beat Medvedev 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4.
The drama began in the third set, with Bonzi having just hit his first serve, leading 6-4 after winning the first two sets. After he missed it, a photographer left his position before the Frenchman could hit his second.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth told the photographer to get off the court, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay — which is common in tennis. Medvedev then approached the chair to complain about the decision.
“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 into the microphones behind the chair.
Medvedev kept encouraging the loud boos. The noise eventually lasted so long that Medvedev then tried to get fans to quiet down so Bonzi could serve. When Bonzi finally did, he double-faulted, and Medvedev won the game and later the set in a tiebreaker to prolong the match.
It was reminiscent of Medvedev’s match on the same court in 2019, when fans booed him for his antics, and he later said in his postmatch interview that the crowd gave him energy. Medvedev had snatched the towel from a ballperson during the match and was given a code violation by umpire Damien Dumusois. Medvedev then threw his racket in the direction of Dumusois, barked something at him and later flashed his middle finger next to his forehead as he walked past the umpire’s chair, actions that led to a $9,000 fine for that match.
Medvedev reached the final that year, then won the title two years later. But he has struggled this year in the majors and was upset by Bonzi in the first round at Wimbledon.
A U.S. Tennis Association spokesman said the photographer was escorted from the court by US Open security, and his credential was revoked.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
