New York, Aug 25 (HS): The opening day of the US Open 2025 delivered high drama as 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock first-round exit at the hands of France’s Benjamin Bonzi, who prevailed in a five-set thriller 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4.
The clash drew headlines not only for its result but also for chaos on court. At match point in the third set, a photographer stepped onto the court, forcing play to halt briefly. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth allowed Bonzi to retake his first serve after the interruption, which infuriated Medvedev. The Russian raged at the official, shouting, “Are you even a man? Why are you shaking?”
The stoppage, lasting almost six minutes amid boos, whistles and crowd commotion, unsettled the contest. The US Tennis Association swiftly revoked the photographer’s accreditation and escorted him out of the arena.
Medvedev regained momentum after the incident, clawing back to win the third-set tiebreak and sweeping the fourth set 6-0. But in the decider, world No. 51 Bonzi held his nerve and sealed the biggest victory of his career.
“It was a crazy experience,” Bonzi said after the match. “Maybe I earned some new fans and some non-fans too. The noise in the stadium was unbelievable, especially when play stopped for nearly five minutes at match point. But that energy gave me the strength to push through.”
With the result, Bonzi has now beaten Medvedev in the opening round of a Grand Slam for the third straight time. Meanwhile, Medvedev’s dismal year in majors continued, as he became the first former US Open champion to be knocked out on Day 1.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
