Daniil Medvedev’s best victory got here beneath the New York highlight when he received the 2021 U.S. Open, the one main title of his profession.
It additionally can be remembered as the location of certainly one of his most talked-about defeats.
The No. 13 seed Medvedev dropped his third consecutive first-round match at a significant match early Monday morning, with Benjamin Bonzi of France profitable 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4. Bonzi additionally beat the Russian within the opening spherical of Wimbledon.
Amid the drama of a Medvedev late-nigh meltdown, a photographer had his credentials revoked for the rest of the match.
Medvedev additionally misplaced to an unranked participant within the second spherical of the Australian Open and within the opener of the French Open. But it surely’s the U.S. Open first-round match match that can be lengthy mentioned. Bonzi was serving to win within the third set when a photographer entered the courtroom to maneuver alongside the baseline. The chair official elected to grant Bonzi a second first serve after ruling interference.
The choice from umpire Greg Allensworth despatched Medvedev right into a mood tantrum. Medvedev approached Allensworth, argued the decision and instigated the followers to boo loudly.
Given the uproar from the group, which Allensworth could not silence, Bonzi didn’t serve for greater than six minutes.
When he did, Medvedev got here again to interrupt Bonzi’s serve, then in the end win the third set in a tiebreaker. Riled up, he fed off the group, making frequent gestures towards the stands.
Medvedev raced by means of the fourth set in opposition to a seemingly shocked Bonzi, who regained his composure and fought off an obvious lower-body harm to return from a break down to interrupt Medvedev twice in his closing three service video games for the win.
Pissed off in defeat, Medvedev sat on the bench and smashed a racket. That is after he threw a few half-dozen of them to the group.
Medvedev, 29, stated he is not fairly certain what has occurred to his sport.
Ranked No. 1 on the planet in February 2022, he has fallen to No. 13. His document on the season is 26-17, with winnings of simply $1.8 million.
In his profession, he has received 20 titles, with a document of 405-174 and earnings of practically $47 million.
A tough-court specialist, this was imagined to be the swing the place he rejuvenated his sport. His finest end in 2025 was his grass-court loss within the finals in Halle earlier than Wimbledon. He misplaced his first-round match on the onerous courts in Cincinnati earlier than the U.S. Open.
“I am enjoying dangerous and in necessary moments, even worse. All the things. All the things. Serve, return, volley, no matter. Simply have to play higher, and I will attempt to do it subsequent yr,” he stated.
Medvedev has not received a match since 2023, when he received 5 titles, all on onerous courts. That included victories on the ATP 1000 Masters occasions in Rome and Miami. He superior to 2 finals in 2024, shedding on the Australian Open and on the ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells — each within the opening months of the season.
As for Bonzi, he known as it his largest win. Bonzi, 29, is ranked No. 51
“I am very happy with myself, the state of affairs of the match, the match level within the third. Then Daniil enjoying nice and taking full benefit within the fourth,” he stated. “It is sort of loopy, this match. For me it is like my finest victory ever. It is very particular to do it right here.”
Within the second spherical on Wednesday, Bonzi will meet American Marcos Giron, who defeated Mariano Navone of Argentina in 5 units on Sunday.
–Discipline Stage Media
