Daniil Medvedev left US Open after one match in what surely will be one of the most remembered matches at Flushing Meadows this year. The 29-year-old Russian player, winner of the US Open in 2021, has had an awful 2025 at majors, only winning one matc across Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and now US Open.
On Sunday, he lost 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 to World No. 51 Benjamin Bonzi. The match was marked by a bizarre incident when a photographer stepped into the court, probably thinking the match had ended, when Bonzi was about to serve for a match point in the third set, after two hours. "Get off the court please", ordered the umpire, who awarded a first serve to Bonzi, "because of the delay caused by an outside interference". Boos started to rise among the crowd and Medvedev, known for his frequent antics, encouraged and asked for more boos, as he went to confront the umpire, shouting "he wants to go home, he's paid by the match, not the hour", even scolding him off, saying "are you a man, why are you shaking?".
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The crowd, for once, seemed to side with Medvedev, 2021 US Open champion, and some even booed Bonzi when the match resumed, and exaggeratedly celebrated Bonzi's misses when the match resume. After more than six minutes of noise, Bonzi lost the serve, and later went on to lose the set. Then, Medvedev won 6-0 the fourth set. It was an incredible turn of events: Bonzi could have won the match much earlier, but because of a photographer invading the court, and Medvedev and the crowd's childish attitude, the match lasted much longer, and it seemed Medvedev had it at reach.
Then, another plot twist: Bonzi survived five break points and went on to win the fifth set and the match. Medvedev, crying, smashed his racket 12 times. He rested a bit and then smashed it 11 more times. The photographer was later revoked for the US Open.
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