NEW YORK (AP) — Daniil Medvedev’s match was delayed more than six minutes between points Sunday night, after a photographer entered the court on match point and the 2021 U.S. Open champion to award his opponent a first serve.
The latest led to a wild change in the match. The No. 13 seed was a point away from being eliminated, then won the next two sets to force a deciding fifth before Benjamin Bonzi eliminated him from a second straight major with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4 victory that ended early Monday.
“I tried to stay calm in the match but it was not easy,” Bonzi said.
Bonzi had just hit his first serve leading 5-4 in the third set. After he missed it, a photographer left his position before the Frenchman could hit his second.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth told the photographer to get off the court, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay — which is common in tennis. Medvedev then approached the chair to complain about the decision.
“He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” Medvedev shouted into the microphones behind the chair.
Medvedev kept encouraging the loud boos on Armstrong, which eventually lasted so long that he then tried to get fans to quiet down so Bonzi could serve. When Bonzi finally did, he double-faulted, and Medvedev won the game and later the set in a tiebreaker to prolong the match.
“I never experienced something like that,” said Bonzi, who had fans chanting his name at times.
It was reminiscent of Medvedev’s 2019 match on the same court, when fans booed him for his antics and he later taunted the crowd in his post-match interview, saying the jeers gave him energy. Medvedev had snatched the towel from a ballperson during the match and was given a code violation by umpire Damien Dumusois. Medvedev then threw his racket in the direction of Dumusois, barked something at him and later flashed his middle finger next to his forehead as he walked past the umpire’s chair, actions that led to him being fined $9,000 for that match.
Medvedev reached the final that year, then won the title two years later. But he went just 1-4 in Grand Slam tournaments this year and was also upset by Bonzi in the first round at Wimbledon.
Medvedev sat in his chair for a few minutes after the match and before eventually departing.
A U.S. Tennis Association spokesman said the photographer was escorted from the court by U.S. Open security and his credential was revoked.
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