On a night that will be remembered for its chaos and controversy rather than its tennis, Daniil Medvedev’s US Open campaign came to an abrupt and dramatic halt in the first round, as the former champion was fined a staggering $42,500 following a wild sequence of events involving a rogue photographer, a furious tirade at the umpire, and a smashed racket that left the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium buzzing for all the wrong reasons.
The match on August 24, 2025, already had the makings of a tense showdown between Medvedev, seeded 13th and a former world number one, and France’s Benjamin Bonzi—a player who had already bested Medvedev earlier in the year at Wimbledon. But no one could have predicted the bizarre interruption that would tilt the contest from tense to tumultuous. As Bonzi stood on the brink of victory, serving at 5-4 in the third set, a photographer—later identified as Selcuk Acar—unexpectedly walked onto the court between Bonzi’s first and second serves. The intrusion brought play to a screeching halt, and what followed was nearly seven minutes of pandemonium.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth, faced with a situation rarely seen at this level of tennis, ruled that Bonzi would be allowed another first serve due to the disruption. That decision did not sit well with Medvedev, who stormed over to the umpire’s chair and unleashed a tirade that was as public as it was passionate. “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 shouted, his words echoing through the stadium and picked up by microphones for the world to hear. He even turned his frustration outward, telling the crowd, “He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
The outburst whipped the New York crowd into a frenzy. Boos rained down, and chants of “Second serve!” filled the humid Queens air as Medvedev gestured for more noise. The delay stretched on, with Bonzi repeatedly retreating from the baseline, unable to serve amid the cacophony. It was a scene more reminiscent of a heated basketball game than the typically staid proceedings of a tennis major.
Eventually, play resumed. Despite the chaos, Medvedev managed to regroup, clawing his way back to win the third and fourth sets and force a deciding fifth. But the effort proved too much. Bonzi, perhaps steadied by the adversity, ultimately prevailed 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, sending Medvedev out of the US Open in the first round for the third consecutive Grand Slam—a stunning fall for the 2021 Flushing Meadows champion.
The drama was far from over. As the final point was played and the match slipped away, Medvedev’s frustration boiled over. He repeatedly smashed his racket into his sideline chair, destroying it in a display of anger that drew gasps from the crowd and immediate attention from tournament officials. The US Open wasted little time in responding. On Wednesday, Medvedev was slapped with a $30,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and an additional $12,500 for racket abuse—a total of $42,500, more than a third of his $110,000 first-round prize money and one of the largest fines ever handed out at the tournament.
“I was not upset with the photographer,” Medvedev told reporters after the match, attempting to clarify his rage. “I was upset with the decision. The delay from the photographer was probably four seconds and a half. I’m not sure it’s enough for a [first] serve.” Medvedev went further, positioning himself as a victim of circumstance: “I’m a victim and totally innocent.”
The photographer, Selcuk Acar, who was swiftly identified and had his credential revoked by the tournament, also spoke out. “This incident has already turned into a lynching, and although I’m innocent, I’ve suffered greatly. If there’s a camera there, if it’s monitored, it will show that I returned to the official twice and didn’t enter,” Acar told media outlets, maintaining he had not intentionally disrupted play. The US Open, however, was unequivocal in its response. “The photographer had been instructed to stay in place by US Open security,” the USTA said. “The photographer disregarded these instructions and improperly entered the court between serves on match point. The Chair Umpire also instructed the photographer to immediately sit down, and these instructions were also disregarded. The photographer’s credential was revoked for the 2025 US Open.”
Medvedev’s meltdown is just the latest chapter in what has been a disappointing 2025 Grand Slam season for the Russian star. After winning just a single match in all four majors this year, his early exit at the hands of Bonzi—his second straight first-round Grand Slam loss to the Frenchman—raises questions about his form and temperament. The outburst drew comparisons to previous incidents in Medvedev’s career, including fines for camera and racket-smashing tirades and a notorious episode at Wimbledon in 2017, when he threw coins at an umpire.
Bonzi, for his part, kept his composure amid the chaos and later advanced to the third round after a five-set victory over Marcos Giron. Speaking about the incident, Bonzi remarked, “Daniil started it. He put oil on the fire,” making clear that Medvedev’s actions only escalated the already tense situation.
For the US Open and the tennis world, the incident has sparked renewed debate about player conduct, crowd dynamics, and the responsibilities of media personnel at major sporting events. While Medvedev’s talent on the court is unquestioned, his ability to keep his cool under pressure will likely be scrutinized even more closely in the months ahead. As for the photographer, the revocation of credentials serves as a stark reminder that even in the high-stakes world of Grand Slam tennis, the rules are there for a reason—and breaking them can have consequences for everyone involved.
With the dust still settling at Flushing Meadows, fans and pundits alike are left to wonder what’s next for Medvedev. Will this latest setback prompt a change in approach, or is it a sign of deeper struggles? One thing’s for sure: the 2025 US Open’s first round won’t soon be forgotten, and the echoes of that wild night in New York will linger long after the final ball has been struck.
