(Video) Angry Daniil Medvedev Destroys Racket After Dramatic US Open 1st Round Defeat to Benjamin Bonzi

Former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev has failed to progress beyond the second round of Grand Slam events this year.

(Video) Angry Daniil Medvedev Destroys Racket After Dramatic US Open 1st Round Defeat to Benjamin Bonzi

Daniil Medvedev breaks his racket after losing the US Open first-round match against Benjamin Bonzi (Image via X/ESPN Tenis, kap kap)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Daniil Medvedev completely lost his cool during his first-round match at the US Open he played against Benjamin Bonzi on Sunday (August 24). A photographer’s interruption during the third set saw Medvedev angrily arguing with the chair umpire, Greg Allensworth.

This happened when Bonzi was serving for the match in the third set. The cameraman walked onto the playing surface, due to which the Frenchman was given another first serve.

Medvedev was not at all happy with this decision and accused Allensworth of trying to end the match quickly so that he could go home. While Medvedev was arguing, the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium booed for nearly six minutes, stopping Bonzi from serving.

Bonzi’s focus wavered as Medvedev, on the back of the crowd’s support, won the third as well as the fourth set (6-0) to force the decider, where the World No.51 prevailed. The Frenchman later sarcastically thanked the New York crowd for their boos.

But before that, Bonzi and Medvedev hugged each other instead of sharing a cold handshake. When Medvedev sat on his bench, he took out his frustration by destroying his racket.

Watch the video here:

Medvedev’s Grand Slam campaigns this season have ended without him reaching the third round even once. At the Australian Open, he suffered a second-round exit, while at the French Open and Wimbledon, his campaign ended in the first round. It was Bonzi who eliminated him at SW19.

He now holds a 3-0 head-to-head record over the 2021 US Open champion. All of his victories against Medvedev came in the first rounds of Grand Slam tournaments. The World No.13 hasn’t yet claimed a title since winning his career’s first clay-court title at the 2023 Italian Open. This year, he has played only one final- at the Halle Open, where Alexander Bublik beat him.

Benjamin Bonzi reacts to his US Open match against Daniil Medvedev

Benjamin Bonzi will next play America’s Marcos Giron in his career’s third second-round match at the US Open. He has never advanced to the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament.

Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi (via X/TENNIScentel/Jose Morgado)
Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi (via X/TENNIScentel/Jose Morgado)

He is a winner of one ATP title. Although winning the US Open won’t be a walk in the park for him, he at least will hope to make a deep run by continuing to produce performances similar to his clash with Daniil Medvedev.

Of course, I am very proud of myself and the way I was able to finish this match. It was a very complicated scenario, and I keep thinking about the match point I had in the third set. Daniil also played really well, taking advantage of his opportunity to force another set, while I was not at my best physically in the fourth set.

Benjamin said at the press conference

Last year in New York, Bonzi failed to qualify for the main draw event. In the Majors before the US Open this season, Bonzi lost in the third round of the Australian Open, the first round of the French Open, and the second round of Wimbledon.

I tried to fight and give everything, until a moment came when I realized he wasn’t at his best either. It was a crazy match, but it is my most best victory. It was very special to achieve it here. I had never felt this way on the court. I am very proud of how I fought until the end and how I made him fight.

Benjamin Bonzi added

Only three times has he been able to make it to a Grand Slam third round, including at the US Open in 2023. Medvedev won the US Open in 2021 and reached two more finals, in 2019 (lost to Rafael Nadal) and in 2023 (Novak Djokovic beat him).

Also read: Emma Raducanu Embraces the Controversial US Open Mixed Doubles Format Amid Partnership With Carlos Alcaraz