Russia’s Daniil Medvedev faced a shocking defeat at the US Open, losing in the first round to Benjamin Bonzi, marking his second consecutive early exit from a tournament at the hands of the same opponent. Medvedev’s match concluded with scores of 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, leaving him visibly distraught on the bench, where he vented his frustration by repeatedly smashing his racquet until it broke. The incident drew a reaction from German tennis legend Boris Becker, who expressed concern over Medvedev’s temper, suggesting he might benefit from professional help.
Medvedev’s frustrations began escalating earlier in the match, especially after losing the first two sets to Bonzi. In the critical third set, while Bonzi was serving at 5-4, an unexpected moment occurred when a photographer accidentally stepped onto the court. This prompted chair umpire Allensworth to intervene, causing further disruption as Bonzi was given another first serve. Medvedev confronted the umpire, launching into an angry exchange, questioning, “Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong huh?” He also directed his ire at the camera, shouting, “Guys he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match not by the hour.”
In a further outburst, Medvedev called out, “What did Reilly Opelka say? What did Reilly Opelka say?” aiming to stir the crowd, which responded with boos. For context, Opelka had previously been fined after criticizing umpire Allensworth as the “worst ump on tour.”
Although Medvedev managed to claim victory in the next two sets, he succumbed in the decisive fifth set, resulting in his elimination from the tournament. In a post-match press conference, he commented on the situation, hinting at potential fines for his comments: “I’m getting big fine enough, so if I speak I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak. Everyone knows what I talked about when I said Reilly. Reilly got fined big-time for this, so I’m going to get a big fine, too.” He clarified that his anger was directed at the umpire’s decision rather than the photographer, noting the brief delay caused was inadequate for the circumstances.
Medvedev’s volatile reaction and subsequent performance have sparked discussions about the pressures athletes face and the need for managing their emotions, especially in high-stakes competitions like the US Open.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/tennis/daniil-medvedev-meltdown-boris-becker-professional-help-us-open-10210664/
Category: Sports,Tennis
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-08-25 17:48:00
