The US Open descended into chaos connected Sunday erstwhile a photographer came connected to nan tribunal arsenic Daniil Medvedev faced lucifer point, bringing nan first-round lucifer to a standstill and sparking a spectacular meltdown from nan Russian.
Medvedev, nan 2021 champion, was yet knocked retired 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4 by France’s Benjamin Bonzi, who threatened to locomotion disconnected nan tribunal astatine 1 constituent and called for nan Russian to beryllium disqualified.
Serving for nan lucifer astatine 6-3, 7-5, 5-4, Bonzi was preparing to play his 2nd service erstwhile nan photographer stepped connected to nan tribunal surface. The disruption led nan chair umpire, Greg Allensworth, to put Bonzi backmost connected to his first serve, sparking an astonishing outburst from Medvedev.
“Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking?” nan Russian shouted arsenic he stormed towards nan chair. “He wants to spell home, guys, he doesn’t for illustration it here. He gets paid by nan match, not by nan hour.”
The lucifer was halted for astir six minutes arsenic jeers, whistles and boos rang retired astir Louis Armstrong Stadium, pinch fans refusing to enactment quiet truthful Bonzi could serve.
The US Tennis Association said nan photographer was escorted from nan tribunal by information and that his credentials had been revoked.

The chaos almost proved Medvedev’s salvation. After fending disconnected nan lucifer constituent he collapsed to level nan group astatine 5-5 earlier edging nan tie-break to unit a 4th set.
Medvedev looked a wholly different subordinate successful nan 4th group arsenic he dished retired a bagel to level nan lucifer arsenic his rattled force took a aesculapian timeout for what appeared to beryllium a knee issue. Boos from nan crowd continued for nan remainder of nan match, pinch immoderate fans targeting Bonzi during his work motion.
The last group was overmuch much of a contest, arsenic nan lucifer coiled down to a nail-biting finish. Spurred connected my shouts of “Courage!” and “Allez!” from his box, Bonzi sealed nan triumph pinch a glorious backhand, pinch Medvedev returning to his spot and smashing his racket.
“It was crazy. I whitethorn person sewage immoderate caller fans, but besides immoderate caller non-fans,” said Bonzi, nan world No 51. “The power was crazy. Thanks to each who were booing. Thanks for nan energy.”
Medvedev becomes nan first erstwhile champion to exit this year’s tournament, leaving Flushing Meadows aft a horrible twelvemonth astatine nan fields wherever he managed to get to nan 2nd information conscionable once.
“I wasn’t upset pinch nan photographer,” Medvedev told a property conference. “I was upset pinch nan decision. Every clip there’s a sound from nan stands betwixt serves, there’s ne'er a 2nd serve. But nan umpire gave him a first serve. That’s what made maine angry.”
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As boos erupted from nan night-session crowd, Medvedev embraced nan chaos, rallying fans into a frenzy successful a segment he later described arsenic “fun to witness”.
“I thought I’m losing nan match,” Medvedev said. “I didn’t break him once. So I said, OK, it’s 2nd serve, but they gave him a first. I sewage emotional. Honestly, while surviving it, I was like, you cognize what, it could beryllium nosy possibly to decorativeness my profession pinch 1 lucifer astatine nan US Open.
“I emotion New York. They did nan work. I didn’t do anything. The crowd pushed maine to travel backmost into nan match.”
Bonzi said he felt Medvedev’s behaviour had crossed nan line. “Daniil started it, and he put lipid connected nan fire. He went pinch nan crowd crazy. He went pinch them. Honestly, I ne'er saw that,” he said. “The norm is nan rule. The feline went connected nan tribunal betwixt 2 serves. It’s not my telephone to opportunity first serve. I felt I didn’t do thing bad successful nan lucifer to person this treatment, and I didn’t want to service successful those conditions.”