New York, USA – The U.S. Open descended into spectacular chaos on Sunday as a photographer’s ill-timed appearance on the court during a match point sparked an astonishing outburst from former champion Daniil Medvedev, who was ultimately knocked out of the first round by France’s Benjamin Bonzi, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4.
The Match Point Standstill
The match reached its breaking point when Bonzi, serving for the match at 6-3, 7-5, 5-4, was preparing for his second serve. A photographer stepped onto the court surface, causing chair umpire Greg Allensworth to revert Bonzi back to his first serve.
This decision triggered an immediate and furious meltdown from Medvedev, who stormed toward the chair umpire. The Russian was heard shouting, “Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking?”
As reported by The Hindu, Medvedev further vented his frustration, shouting, “He wants to go home, guys, he doesn’t like it here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.” He also repeatedly challenged the official by shouting, “What did Reilly Opelka say?” referencing a previous controversy involving the umpire.
The match was halted for about six minutes as a cacophony of jeers, whistles, and boos rang out around Louis Armstrong Stadium, with fans refusing to quiet down for Bonzi’s serve. The USTA later confirmed the photographer was escorted from the court by security and his credentials had been revoked.
Medvedev’s Near-Salvation
The chaos almost provided the Russian with a stunning lifeline. After fending off the match point, Medvedev broke Bonzi to level the third set at 5-5 and eventually edged the tiebreak to force a fourth set.
The 2021 champion looked like a completely transformed player in the fourth set, dishing out a bagel (6-0) to level the match as his rattled opponent took a medical timeout for a possible knee issue. However, the boos from the crowd continued, at times targeting Bonzi’s service motion.
Bonzi Closes Out the Thriller
The final set was a back-and-forth contest, featuring multiple exchanges of breaks. Spurred on by shouts of “Courage!” and “Allez!” from his box, Bonzi sealed the hard-fought victory with a glorious backhand winner. Medvedev reacted by returning to his seat and smashing his racket in frustration.
“It was crazy. I may have got some new fans, but also some new non-fans,” said world number 51 Bonzi. “The energy was crazy. Thanks to all who were booing. Thanks for the energy.”
The win means Bonzi has now beaten Medvedev in all three of their Grand Slam encounters, each time in the first round. Medvedev, meanwhile, becomes the first former champion to exit this year’s tournament, continuing a horrible year at the majors where he has only managed to reach the second round once.
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