Daniil Medvedev was fined a total of $42,500 by the U.S. Open on Wednesday — more than a third of his $110,000 tournament prize money — for his meltdown during a first-round loss after a photographer wandered onto the court during the match.
Tournament referee Jake Garner docked Medvedev $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and another $12,500 for racket abuse. When the match ended, Medvedev repeatedly smacked a racket against his sideline chair, destroying the equipment.
Medvedev, a former No. 1-ranked player who won the championship at Flushing Meadows in 2021, was angered on Sunday night when chair umpire Greg Allensworth decided to allow opponent Benjamin Bonzi another first serve after the bizarre interruption.
Bonzi was a point from winning while leading 5-4 in the third set when the photographer — whose credential was later revoked — began walking along the side of the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium just after a fault.
Allensworth told the photographer to get off the court, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay. Medvedev approached the official to complain, and that is when things got wild. The crowd began booing and chanted, “Second serve!” In all, play was held up for more than six minutes as Medvedev riled up the fans and insulted Allensworth.
“He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” Medvedev shouted into the microphones behind the chair.
When order was restored, Medvedev wound up taking that set — and the fourth, too. But Bonzi eventually wound up winning 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4.
It was Medvedev’s third consecutive Grand Slam loss in the first round, including last month at Wimbledon against Bonzi.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
