Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev narrowly avoided a shock first-round exit in New York after a dramatic clash with the chair umpire and the crowd. The Russian survived a match point against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in a match that turned chaotic because of a bizarre umpire decision.
The incident happened in the third set when Bonzi was serving for the match at 5-4. On match point, his first serve hit the net. But chair umpire Greg Allensworth stopped play after spotting a cameraman walking into the court area. The official allowed Bonzi to replay the first serve, which left Medvedev furious.
Medvedev stormed toward the umpire and shouted, “Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong, huh? Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
He then looked into the broadcast camera and continued his rant, riling up the New York crowd, who responded with loud boos.
Crowd Turns Against Medvedev.
Play stopped for nearly five minutes as Bonzi refused to serve until the noise settled. Medvedev added fuel to the fire by making a heart gesture and blowing kisses at the booing crowd. The jeers only grew louder.
INSANE scenes in the Medvedev & Bonzi match at US Open
A cameraman was trying to leave after Bonzi missed his 1st serve.
The umpire gave Bonzi a 1st serve.
Daniil: “Are you a man? Are you a man? why are you shaking? What’s wrong huh? Guys he wants to leave. He gets paid by… pic.twitter.com/nzlqgoWxre
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 25, 2025
When play resumed, Bonzi double-faulted on his first serve, drawing sarcastic cheers from fans. The Frenchman then hit an unforced error, allowing Medvedev back into the set. Medvedev celebrated with another heart gesture after leveling the score 5-5.
Momentum Shifts After Meltdown
Medvedev held his next service game, forced a tense tiebreaker, and then won the fourth set. The comeback set up a deciding fifth set, with the Russian looking fired up despite the chaos.
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The unusual incident even left other players shocked. US Open No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz posted on X, “Photographer walking on court when he’s not supposed to could’ve just changed the entire match.”
Medvedev’s Tough Season
The victory was crucial for Medvedev, whose 2025 season has been far from impressive. Once ranked world No. 1, the 29-year-old has struggled to find form. He crashed out in the second round of the Australian Open and suffered first-round exits in both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
The win in New York helped him avoid a third straight first-round Grand Slam defeat and his first early exit at the US Open since his debut in 2017.
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