Daniil Medvedev has suffered a dramatic exit at the US Open, losing his first round match against Benjamin Bonzi.
Medvedev was the 13th seed at the US Open this year, but fell 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5-7), 0-6, 6-4 to the world number 51.
The result, however, has been overshadowed by a controversial delay during the match caused by a photographer.
The photographer mistakenly entered the court on match point as Bonzi was serving for the match, with chair umpire Greg Allensworth awarding the Frenchman another first serve.
Furious, Medvedev approached Allensworth at Louis Armstrong Stadium regarding his decision, which led to a delay of almost seven minutes.
Daniil Medvedev expects big fine after what happened in his US Open first round match
Speaking into a camera next to Allensworth, he said: “Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match not by the hour.”
Returning to the court, the former ATP number one then repeatedly screamed: “What did Reilly Opelka say?”
Asked after the match why he referenced fellow player Opelka, Medvedev replied: “I’m getting a big enough fine so if I speak I’m in big trouble so I’m not going to speak.
“Not everyone knows what I’m talking about when I said Reilly. Reilly got fined big time for this so I’m going to get a big fine too.”
And when asked how much he expects to get fined, the Russian said: “I have no idea they fine guys like me much more than other guys… [Nick] Kyrgios, me, [Alexander] Bublik, who else? Reilly. Even if Reilly’s a nice guy and they fine him just because they don’t like him.”
Daniil Medvedev feels Reilly Opelka pain in shock US Open loss
Opelka has indeed had his run-ins with Allensworth, most recently at the Dallas Open in February of this year.
The American beat Cam Norrie in the round of 16, after which Opelka called Allensworth ‘the worst umpire on tour’.
His latest decision certainly had a big impact at the time, with Medvedev winning the third and fourth sets before eventually losing the match.
The Russian, who won the US Open in 2021, has brought an end to his hugely disappointing Grand Slam season, smashing his racket to pieces following his latest defeat.
Medvedev has now suffered three successive first round losses, after exiting the Australian Open in round two.
He has reached the final in New York on three occasions, defeating Novak Djokovic in their 2021 final for his only Grand Slam title.
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