Chaos at the US Open: Daniil Medvedev Melts Down After Photographer Interrupts Match Point in Five-Set Thriller
What started as a tense first-round clash at the 2025 US Open turned into pure chaos on Sunday, when a rogue photographer stepped onto the court just as Daniil Medvedev faced match point — igniting a meltdown, shaking the stadium, and setting the stage for a match that will be remembered for years to come.
A Storm Was Brewing: Daniil Medvedev vs. Bonzi, Round 1
Heading into the US Open, few imagined that former champion Daniil Medvedev would crash out in the very first round. But Benjamin Bonzi, a talented and fiery Frenchman ranked 51st in the world, had other plans. The two men took to Louis Armstrong Stadium under a sky heavy with anticipation—and tension.
What unfolded over the next few hours wasn’t just a match. It was a five-act drama, filled with passion, controversy, anger, and redemption. At the center of it all? A single, surreal moment that changed everything.
Match Point Mayhem: When a Photographer Crossed the Line
With Bonzi on the brink of the biggest win of his career—leading two sets to love and 5-4 in the third—he prepared to serve for the match. Then, out of nowhere, a credentialed photographer stepped onto the court. Cameras clicked, players froze, and the umpire, Greg Allensworth, made a shocking call: Bonzi would have to replay his first serve.
The interruption lasted only minutes, but its ripple effect was seismic.
Medvedev Loses It: “Are You a Man?”
The call set off Medvedev like a lit fuse. He stormed toward the chair, yelling at Allensworth in front of a stunned crowd.
“Are you a man? Why are you shaking?”
“He wants to go home, guys. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour!”
His rant didn’t stop there. He kept shouting, “What did Reilly Opelka say?” — a reference to the American star who previously called for Allensworth’s suspension after a dispute in Dallas. The whole scene was surreal. Medvedev, usually one of tennis’s cooler heads, was unraveling in real-time.
The stadium filled with jeers and whistles. Bonzi looked rattled. Medvedev looked unhinged. The chaos didn’t just stall the match — it swallowed it.
The Crowd Becomes the Third Player
As the drama dragged on, the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium turned into a force of its own. Whistles pierced the air. Boos rained down. Every time Bonzi tried to serve, fans interrupted with heckles.
“It was crazy,” Bonzi said afterward. “I’ve never experienced anything like that. We waited five minutes to play a single point. There was so much noise.”
Yet somehow, amid the madness, Bonzi didn’t break.
Medvedev’s Comeback… and Collapse
The chaos seemed to spark Medvedev back to life. After fending off match point, he broke Bonzi and clawed back to win the third-set tiebreak. Suddenly, the momentum had shifted.
In the fourth set, Medvedev looked like a man possessed. Bonzi took a medical timeout, clutching his knee, and Medvedev seized the moment — serving up a rare bagel: 6-0.
It felt inevitable. The former champ was on the rise. Bonzi, the underdog, had missed his chance.
But this match had one more twist in store.
Fifth Set Fight: Courage, Rage, and One Glorious Backhand
By the final set, the match had become a dogfight. Breaks were traded like punches. Medvedev, clearly drained, tried to stay calm but his nerves kept bubbling to the surface.
Bonzi, urged on by shouts of “Courage!” and “Allez!” from his team, dug deep.
And then, with the score poised on a knife’s edge, he unleashed a stunning backhand winner down the line to seal the deal. Game, set, match: Benjamin Bonzi defeats Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4.
Medvedev Smashes His Racket — and Exits the US Open
As Bonzi celebrated the biggest win of his life, Medvedev slumped back into his chair and smashed his racket to pieces.
The 2021 US Open champion was out—in the very first round. It was the latest low point in a brutal year for the Russian, who has failed to reach the third round of a Grand Slam even once in 2025.
Bonzi’s Moment of Glory
For Bonzi, the moment was as sweet as it was strange.
“I may have got some new fans, but also some new non-fans,” he said with a smile.
He acknowledged the boos, the tension, the absurdity of the night—and somehow, turned it all into motivation. With that win, Bonzi improved his Grand Slam record against Medvedev to a perfect 3-0. Every time they’ve met at a major, Bonzi has knocked him out in the first round.
If that’s not a mental edge, what is?
How Did This Even Happen? USTA Under Fire
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) wasted no time in ejecting the photographer from the venue and revoking his credentials. But serious questions remain.
- How did someone with media access manage to walk onto the court during a match point?
- Why wasn’t the area secured more effectively?
- What safeguards are in place to prevent this from happening again?
This wasn’t just an odd moment—it was a security lapse that nearly changed the outcome of a Grand Slam match.
If Bonzi had lost his cool, if Medvedev had converted his momentum into a win, we’d be telling a very different story.
Tennis Is Mental — And This Was Proof
Matches aren’t just about who hits harder. They’re about who handles pressure better. This bizarre showdown was the ultimate example.
- Bonzi was booed by the crowd, injured, interrupted, and still found a way to win.
- Medvedev, rattled by a single call and the noisy crowd, unraveled despite playing some of his best tennis in sets 3 and 4.
In a sport that’s often decided by inches and seconds, mindset is everything.
What’s Next for Medvedev?
Medvedev’s early exit raises serious questions about where he goes from here. His struggles at the majors are becoming more than just a blip. He hasn’t looked like himself in months.
Was this meltdown a sign of a deeper issue? Burnout? Pressure? Frustration with the system?
Whatever it is, the former world No. 1 has some serious regrouping to do.
And for Bonzi? The Road Opens Up
For Bonzi, this win is more than just a notch in the belt. It’s a launchpad. Beating a former US Open champion on one of the game’s biggest stages, in front of a chaotic crowd, under the harshest pressure? That’s the stuff careers are built on.
He’ll carry this confidence into the next round—and maybe beyond.
A Match No One Will Forget
Tennis is known for its unpredictability. But even by Grand Slam standards, this match was something else.
A first-round thriller.
A rogue photographer.
A furious outburst.
A five-set comeback.
A racket smashed.
And an underdog victorious.
Whatever happens next, Benjamin Bonzi vs. Daniil Medvedev at the 2025 US Open will go down as one of the wildest matches in tournament history. And maybe, just maybe, the most human.