US Open bans photographer after bizarre blunder sparks Daniil Medvedev meltdown

Daniil Medvedev crashed out of the US Open in chaotic fashion after a bizarre on-court incident involving a photographer triggered his furious outburst during a first-round defeat to Benjamin Bonzi.

The drama unfolded at 5-4 in the third set with Bonzi holding match point. As the Frenchman prepared to serve, a cameraman walked onto the Louis Armstrong Stadium court, forcing chair umpire Greg Allensworth to replay the point with a fresh first serve. The call enraged Medvedev and the New York crowd, sparking a six-minute delay filled with shouting, boos, and confusion.

Medvedev stormed towards the umpire, demanding, “Are you a man?” and accusing him of wanting to “go home early.”He even referenced Reilly Opelka’s past claim that Allensworth was the “worst ref in the ATP.” The crowd booed loudly, which Medvedev encouraged, while Bonzi waited to serve.

The Russian managed to regroup, forcing a tiebreak he eventually won, and then taking the fourth set. But Bonzi rallied in the decider to secure one of the biggest wins of his career, sending the 2021 champion to his third straight first-round Grand Slam exit.

Security later removed the photographer from the venue, and the US Open confirmed his credential had been revoked: “His credential has been revoked for the 2025 US Open,” organisers said.

Reflecting on the madness, Bonzi, ranked No. 51, admitted: “The energy was wild. Thanks for all those who were booing – it gave me energy in the fifth set. I’ve never experienced anything like that. It was so noisy, so hard to stay calm, but I tried.”

A devastated Medvedev smashed his racket against a bench after the loss and later hinted at retirement: “Not today, but when I’m finishing my career, you never know where you want to do it. Today I thought, maybe this could be a nice place to stop.”

Bonzi now faces American Marcos Giron in round two. Defending champion Jannik Sinner opens against Vit Kopriva, while Carlos Alcaraz takes on Reilly Opelka.

Watch video highlights from the match below.