Daniil Medvedev’s US Open Meltdown: A Night of Chaos, Cameras, and Crashing Emotions
1. A Photographer Sparks Pandemonium at Match Point
In one of the most bizarre moments in recent US Open history, Daniil Medvedev’s tournament came crashing down after a photographer unexpectedly wandered onto the court during a critical point of his first-round clash with France’s Benjamin Bonzi.
Medvedev, a player well-known for both his brilliance and volatility, was facing match point at 5-4 in the third set when the surreal incident occurred. As Bonzi prepared to deliver his second serve, a photographer stepped onto the court in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Umpire Greg Allensworth immediately called for the man to leave and ordered a replay of the point, giving Bonzi another first serve.
That decision lit the fuse. Medvedev erupted, storming towards the chair umpire while waving his arms to ignite the late-night New York crowd. What had been a relatively subdued atmosphere turned into a frenzy as chants of “second serve!” rang out across the stadium.
What followed was six minutes of pure bedlam — boos, protests, and a rattled Bonzi struggling to stay focused. The energy inside the arena flipped instantly, and for the first time all night, Medvedev became the ringleader of chaos rather than the victim.
2. Bonzi Holds Firm Amid the Madness
Benjamin Bonzi, ranked outside the very top tier of the ATP, suddenly found himself in the most intimidating of scenarios: trying to serve out a Grand Slam upset amid a hostile and hyper-charged New York crowd.
Bonzi had been the better player for much of the evening, winning the first two sets 6-3, 7-5, and holding a commanding position. But as boos rained down, he was visibly shaken. He missed his first serve, heard cheers, and then dumped a backhand into the net on match point as the stadium erupted.
Somehow, the Frenchman gathered himself. Though he dropped the third-set tiebreak, Bonzi remained composed as Medvedev’s emotional eruption began to unravel his own game. The Russian went on a wild ride, including a fourth-set whitewash where he looked like a man possessed. Yet Bonzi steadied in the decider, ultimately closing the contest with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 victory just before 1 a.m.
After nearly four hours of drama, Bonzi admitted:
“The energy was wild. It was a crazy scenario. I have never experienced anything like that. It was so difficult to play, so noisy. But I tried to stay calm – it was not easy.”
The victory marked one of the biggest of his career — and one of the most shocking exits for a former US Open champion in recent memory.
3. Medvedev’s Meltdown: Honking the Horn Too Loud
Medvedev has always walked a fine line between genius and self-destruction. His relationship with crowds, especially in New York, has produced some unforgettable theater. From his pantomime-villain antics in 2019 to his emotional triumph in 2021 against Novak Djokovic, he has thrived on tension.
But this time, the drama veered into self-sabotage. After the match, Medvedev admitted that his reaction to the photographer’s intrusion spiraled out of his control. He accused the umpire of “wanting to go home,” smashed his racket against the bench after defeat, and broke into tears during Bonzi’s victory interview.
The former world No. 1 later confessed:
“I just expressed my emotions, my unhappiness with the decision, and then the crowd did what they did without me asking them too much. It was fun to witness.”
Yet behind the bravado, his words hinted at a deeper struggle. Medvedev even admitted that during the match he briefly considered finishing his career right then and there — a stark revelation from a six-time Grand Slam finalist.
His metaphor of “honking a car horn” to describe his outbursts — sometimes needed to vent frustration, but disruptive if overdone — felt uncomfortably real in this latest implosion.
4. From Hero to Heartbreak: Medvedev’s Tumultuous US Open History
Few players have provided as much theater at the US Open as Daniil Medvedev. His 2019 run to the final turned him into both villain and cult hero. Booed for trolling American fans with cheeky celebrations, he later won them over with a gritty five-set duel against Rafael Nadal in one of the great modern finals.
In 2021, he delivered on his promise by stunning Novak Djokovic in straight sets, denying the Serb a calendar-year Grand Slam and celebrating with his now-iconic “dead fish” flop. That was his peak.
But since then, the Russian’s New York appearances have tilted more toward turmoil than triumph. In 2023, he clashed with fans in a heated night match. Now, in 2025, his career appears at a crossroads after a first-round loss and his third straight Grand Slam opening defeat of the season.
For a player once expected to be the torchbearer of men’s tennis in the post-Big Three era, the slide is worrying. Dropping out of the world’s top 20 seems inevitable, and the future suddenly feels uncertain.
5. What’s Next for Daniil Medvedev?
Medvedev left the court not as a champion fighting to the last point, but as a broken figure slumped in his chair. His racquet, shattered against the bench, mirrored his own frustration and despair.
Is this the beginning of the end for Medvedev? At 29, he should be in his prime. But with only one Grand Slam match win in 2025 and mounting emotional tolls, the questions grow louder.
The United States Tennis Association has already revoked the photographer’s credential, but the larger story is Medvedev’s unraveling. Tennis thrives on characters, and Medvedev has long been one of its most compelling. Yet now, fans are left wondering if the volatility that once fueled his rise is accelerating his fall.
For now, Medvedev insists retirement is not imminent. But his cryptic comment — “When I’m finishing my career, you never know where you want to do it. Today I was, like, ‘this could be it’” — leaves a haunting aftertaste.
If this truly was the start of a farewell chapter, it was one written in chaos, raw emotion, and shattered dreams under the New York lights.
