The match between Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi on Sunday at US Open will surely be remembered as one of the most chaotic and embarrassing moments ever at the New York tournament. Medvedev encouraged the unhinged crowds to boo protesting a decision from the umpire, only to lose an hour later.
It all started because a photographer stepped into the court while Bonzi was about to do his second serve for a match point. Due to that external interruption, the umpire granted Bonzi a repeat of the first serve, after missing it previously. Those are the rules, but Medvedev protested, and so did many of the spectators in New York.
The photographer was said to have been expelled from US Open, his credentials revoked, but now he defends himself. The photographer, Selcuk Acar, an experience freelancer and photojournalist, spoke to Daily Mail and said that he was a victim and completely innocent. "This incident has already turned into a lynching, and although I'm innocent, I've suffered greatly", he said, adding that he is speaking with lawyers to defend himself, and that it has affected him greatly, claiming he's "aged ten years".
According to Acar, he was told by the security guard that the match was stopped and he could walk onto the court. But he never went on to enter, and claims that cameras should prove that he didn't ever. "'If there's a camera there, if it's monitored, it will show that I returned to the official twice and didn't enter".