Daniil Medvedev was fined $42,500 by the US Open on Wednesday – more than a third of his $110,000 prize money from this year’s singles at the tournament – for his meltdown after a photographer wandered on to the court at match point.
Tournament referee Jake Garner docked Medvedev $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and another $12,500 for racket abuse. When Sunday’s first-round match ended in defeat for Medvedev he repeatedly smacked a racket against his chair, destroying the equipment.
Medvedev, the US Open champion in 2021, was angered when chair umpire Greg Allensworth granted opponent Benjamin Bonzi another first serve after the photographer’s interruption.
Bonzi was on match point, leading 5-4 in the third set, when the photographer – whose credential was later revoked – walked along the side of the court just after a fault.
Allensworth told the photographer to leave the court, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay. Medvedev approached the official to complain, and things soon got out of hand. The crowd began booing and chanted, “Second serve!” Play was held up for more than six minutes as Medvedev riled up the fans and insulted Allensworth.
“Are you a man? Why are you shaking? He wants to go home guys, he doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” Medvedev shouted.
When order was restored, Medvedev wound up taking that set – and the fourth, too. But Bonzi wound up winning 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 0-6, 6-4.
It was Medvedev’s third consecutive grand slam loss in the first round, including last month at Wimbledon against Bonzi.
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