Former champion Daniil Medvedev has been fined a total of $42,500 by the US Open for his meltdown during a five-set first-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi on Sunday.
Medvedev, the 2021 champion and 13th seed, fell 6–3, 7–5, 6–7(5), 0–6, 6–4, but it was his behaviour in the third set that drew the spotlight. With Bonzi serving on match point, a photographer briefly stepped onto Louis Armstrong Stadium, prompting the chair umpire to allow the Frenchman a first serve to be retaken. Medvedev erupted at the official and worked up a jeering crowd that momentarily delayed play.
After the match, Medvedev smashed his racquet, an incident that, along with the on-court tirade, triggered sanctions: $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and $12,500 for racquet abuse, according to a tournament document listing on-site offences. The Russian collected $110,000 in prize money for his first-round appearance.
The scenes prompted six-time major winner Boris Becker to suggest Medvedev should seek professional help following what he called a “public meltdown.”
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