Medvedev incites crowd, smashes racket after early elimination at US Open

(Dan Tri) - Daniil Medvedev lost to Benjamin Bonzi in the first round of the US Open after 5 sets. The Russian tennis player left a chaotic match when he incited the audience to make noise or smash his racket after losing.

Daniil Medvedev’s 2025 Grand Slam season ended in utter disappointment, with the former world No. 1 only winning one major tournament. A 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 loss to Benjamin Bonzi at the US Open on the morning of August 25 put an end to a turbulent year for the Russian.

After a dramatic third set win amid chaos, Medvedev was broken twice in the deciding set. Immediately after shaking hands with his opponent, he sat down in his chair and then smashed the racket in his hand, an act of utter frustration. Medvedev left the court without a racket, having thrown all six rackets in his bag into the stands to give away to the audience.

Medvedev was extremely disappointed after losing in the first round of the US Open (Photo: Getty).

Despite some spectacular saves and excellent shots, Medvedev still committed 64 unforced errors on Court Louis Armstrong. It was Bonzi's second consecutive Grand Slam win over Medvedev, after the Frenchman also beat him at Wimbledon in late June.

Medvedev's 2025 Grand Slam journey began with a hard-fought win over Kasidit Samrej (world No. 418) at the Australian Open, where he had to fight back from two sets down. However, he then lost to Learner Tien in the second round in Melbourne, fell to Cameron Norrie at Roland Garros, and lost twice to Bonzi at Wimbledon and the US Open.

“I'm playing badly, and even worse at important moments. Everything: serve, return, volley, everything. I need to play better, and I'll try to do that next year,” Medvedev admitted about his Grand Slam season.

The chaos on Louis Armstrong Stadium began when a photographer ran onto the court after Bonzi failed to serve in the deciding game of the third set in the 10th game. Umpire Greg Allensworth re-awarded the Frenchman, prompting Medvedev to protest and inciting cheers from the crowd. The commotion lasted for about five minutes before the two players were able to continue playing.

Medvedev argues with the referee at the US Open (Photo: Getty).

As play resumed, an error by Bonzi sent the crowd into a frenzy. Medvedev then secured a break point to level the score at 5-5, making a heart gesture with his hands to thank the crowd for their support. The Russian continued this gesture after winning the tiebreak.

Medvedev stormed into the fourth set, breaking in the first game of the fifth. However, he lost the break immediately. He also returned a break to level the score at 3-3. Despite serving poorly due to a leg injury, Bonzi saved five break points to hold on for a 4-3 lead and then broke Medvedev in the final game, giving new coach Nicolas Mahut a dramatic victory.

“It was a very important win, it was my first Grand Slam with Nico, our first week together. I gave everything on the court and today I won. I am very proud of myself, of the scenario of the match. This match was crazy. For me, it was like the best win ever. It was special to do it here,” Bonzi said after the match.

Outside of major tournaments, Medvedev has had some success in 2025, reaching the ATP Masters 1000 semifinals at Indian Wells and the ATP 500 final at Halle. However, the 29-year-old's disastrous Grand Slam performances represent a significant decline for a player who has been one of the most consistent performers in recent years: Medvedev has reached at least one Grand Slam final every year from 2021 to 2024.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/medvedev-kich-dong-khan-gia-dap-nat-vot-sau-khi-bi-loai-som-tai-us-open-20250825181158119.htm