Medvedev, from rage to broken rackets
For some, like Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, this is the year of complete confirmation (if there were still any need for that, which there wasn't). For others, led by Jack Draper and Ben Shelton, it's been the year of affirmation. For others still, and in the opposite direction, this is a year of decline – and Daniil Medvedev is the paradigmatic example of this, with a more packed schedule, later playing hours, and near-complete boiling over whenever peaks of frustration arise. Eliminated in the second round of the Australian Open, in the first match at Roland Garros, and also in the opening match at Wimbledon in a season in which he reached only one ATP final (in Halle, losing to Alexander Bublik), the Russian arrived at the US Open determined to redeem himself against the English grasscourt tormentor, Benjamin Bonzi. Everything went even worse.
Novak Djokovic in the second round of the US Open after beating American Learner Tien
After losing the opening two sets 6-3, 7-5, with just two breaks from the Frenchman that made the difference at key moments, Medvedev was on the receiving end to prevent an early 6-4 defeat with Bonzi ahead when a distracted photographer entered the court earlier than expected, causing the match to be interrupted. Faced with this "invasion," umpire Greg Allensworth ultimately allowed the Frenchman to replay the first serve, not the second, where he was in the breakout phase. The Russian had a truly explosive performance, lasting over five minutes that will go down in the history of this edition of the US Open.
"Are you really a man? Are you really a man? Why are you shaking?" Medvedev shouted from the umpire's chair, with Allensworth trying to remain calm and claiming he wasn't shaking. "Guys, he just wants to go home, he doesn't like being here. He's paid by the game, not by the hour," the Russian continued, urging the fans to make noise and whistle the decision in Bonzi's favor. Even when he stepped to the baseline, Medvedev continued to cheer on everyone present, who were turning the court into a sort of football stadium, not cheering on a team but "challenging" the umpire's decision. At one point, the Russian even had to ask everyone to calm down so Bonzi could finally serve.
Full video of the Medvedev-Bonzi-umpire-photographer drama that COMPLETELY changed the match.
Gotta feel for… Benjamin. Had to stand for 6 minutes before serving on match point while the stadium turned into a circus. The mess. pic.twitter.com/wkEz3B4K6B
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 25, 2025
That could have been the turning point of the match for the winner of the 2021 edition in New York: Medvedev finally managed to break , then won the tiebreak 7-5 and swept the fourth set 6-0. The comeback seemed only a matter of time, but Bonzi, who had threatened to leave the court to disqualify Medvedev, regained his best game and won the fifth and decisive set 6-4. The Russian couldn't contain his frustration, walked to his chair after greeting the Frenchman at the net and then furiously smashed rackets, almost unleashing all his frustration at the defeat and the season. "It was crazy. I may have new fans, but also new non-fans. Thank you for the energy," said Bonzi.
Daniil Medvedev looking totally distraught after his loss to Bonzi at the US open.
He's smashing his racquet and just sitting on the court.
Brutal loss to swallow.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 25, 2025
"I wasn't upset with the photographer; I was upset with the umpire's decision. Whenever there's a noise in the stands between serves, I've never seen them concede a first serve again, but that's what happened, and I was furious. I thought I was going to lose the match because I hadn't broken his serve yet. I thought, 'Okay, it's a second serve, let's go.' Suddenly, he gives me the first serve. Emotion overcame me. Honestly, while I was experiencing it all, I was thinking it might even be funny to end my career with a match at the US Open... I love New York. They did their job, I did nothing. It was the fans who pulled me into the match," Medvedev said at the conference.
Daniil Medvedev's 2025 season in Grand Slams
????????? Round 2 – Tien????????? Round 1 – Norrie????????? Round 1 – Bonzi
????????? Round 1 – Bonzi ????
One win only. pic.twitter.com/oLkYOtqMb0
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) August 25, 2025
Meanwhile, amid all the chaos surrounding the match, the Russian also asked fans to remember what American player Reilly Opelka had said, which left many in the dark. What did he mean? The answer came with a trip to the Dallas Open earlier that year, when Opelka clashed with the same umpire for being sanctioned after violating the code of conduct by stopping play between serves and confronting a fan who wouldn't stop coughing. "Greg Allensworth is the worst umpire in the ATP. We were talking about him in the locker room, all the players. If the umpire isn't doing his job and he's punishing me... I hope there's a penalty for him too, maybe a few tournaments," the American commented at the time, despite his victory against Cameron Norrie.
A fan was bothering Reilly Opelka during his service movement, Opelka responded and was given a point violation…
He'd end up holding and winning the match but this feels like a very poor job of umpiring pic.twitter.com/s05wSstKJ0
— Barstool Tennis (@StoolTennis) February 7, 2025
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