Daniil Medvedev expecting ‘big fine’ after antics during US Open loss
The Russian lost a third consecutive Grand Slam match.
Daniil Medvedev, Rotterdam, 2025 © Zuma / Psnewz
Daniil Medvedev says that he expects a ‘big fine’ after suffering a meltdown during his US Open first-round defeat to Benjamin Bonzi.
The Frenchman was victorious over the Russian 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4, upsetting Medvedev for a second consecutive Grand Slam – having also done for at Wimbledon.
However, the match looked as if it would over far quicker, with Bonzi holding a match point in the third set whilst up 5-4, on his own serve. At this crucial moment, after missing his first serve, a photographer decided to reposition himself by walking from the far end of the court to the middle.
As a result, the umpire intervened by scolding the individual, awarding the Frenchman another first serve due to the delay.
Medvedev – unsurprisingly – was not happy with the decision and began to rant towards the umpire, playing on the crowd’s boos as he did so for multiple minutes.
The 2021 US Open champion broke back and even possessed a break lead in the fifth set, before losing his third consecutive Grand Slam match.
“I wasn’t upset with the photographer,” Medvedev admitted to reports afterwards.
“I was upset with the decision. Every time there’s a sound from the stands between serves, there’s never a second serve. But the umpire gave him a first serve. That’s what made me angry.
“I’m getting a big enough fine, so if I speak, I’m in big trouble, so I’m not gonna speak. Not everyone knows what I’m talking about when I say Reilly [Opelka]. He got fined big time [in Indian Wells] for this so I’m gonna get a big fine too.”
the umpire gave him a first serve. That’s what made me angry.
“I have no idea[why] they fine guys like me much more than other guys…[Nick] Kyrgios, me, [Alexander] Bublik, who else? Reilly. Even if Reilly’s a nice guy and they fine him just because they don’t like him.
“They(the crowd) did the work, I didn’t do anything. And they pushed me to come back into the match… it was fun for me.
“When asked whether the delay affected the momentum of the match, Medvedev added: “At one moment I asked them to stop. But they didn’t. I thought ‘ok let’s try to control them to stop.’ But they didn’t want to stop. So whatever.
“But he had a moment, like I think, as you say 6 minutes, but one time after 3 minutes, he had a moment where he could serve and one guy would whistle and he didn’t serve. His problem.”
Medvedev will next play at the ATP 250 in Hangzhou, which takes place from September 17 – 23.
