A match at the US Open has been overshadowed by a bizarre incident involving a photographer who stopped play when entering the court as a player was serving for the match.
Daniil Medvedev was on the verge of suffering a straight-sets loss to Benjamin Bonzi on the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The world No.51 had a match point when leading 6-3, 7-5, 5-4, before an unexpected delay occurred. An unnamed photographer entered the court between Bonzi’s serves, which prompted a swift response from the match official.
“Wait please, not now,” chair umpire Greg Allensworth shouted. “Get off the court, please.”
Allensworth then awarded Bonzi a first serve again, which prompted a fiery outburst from Medvedev, who blasted the decision and then fired up the crowd by encouraging them to continue booing. In the end, there was a delay of nearly seven minutes.
“Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong, huh? Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match not by the hour,” Medvedev was caught on camera saying.
The former world No.1 then shouted “What did Reilly Opelka say? What did Reilly Opelka say?” as he walked away from Allensworth. Opelka was fined earlier this year for calling Allensworth ‘the wrost umpire on Tour.’
To add to the drama, Bonzi then double-faulted and ended up getting broken, which resulted in the match going to five sets. However, the Frenchman held his nerve to prevail 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 and hand Medvedev his earliest exit from the US Open since 2017.
“I was not upset with the photographer. Every time there is a sound from the stands between the serves, there is never a second serve,” Medvedev said during his press conference.
“But it helped me get back into the match.
“It was a fun moment to live. I was not upset with the photographer. I was upset with the decision.”
Whilst Medvedev has no hard feelings towards the individual, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has taken a harder stance by removing him from the grounds and revoking his media pass. The governing body confirmed its action in a statement.
As for Bonzi, it is the second major event in a row that he has beaten Medvedev. He is the first man in the Open Era to have beaten a Grand Slam champion in the first round of two consecutive Grand Slam events.
“I never experienced something like that,” he said on court.
“Maybe we waited five minutes before the match point. Then it was so difficult to play. So noisy. All the time during the points, between the points… it was a very wild atmosphere.
“I tried to stay calm, stay in the match. It was not easy. At the end, I gave all my heart on the court and I have the win today.”
Medvedev has won just one match at a major this season, which is his worst performance since 2017.
“I’m playing bad and in important moments, even worse. I just need to play better, and I’m going to try to do it next year.” The Russian concluded.
