Medvedev causes chaos at the US Open, match halted for 6 minutes—who is to blame: referee, player, or photographer?

In sports events, even the smallest incident can trigger huge waves. During the first round of the 2025 US Open men’s singles, the match between Medvedev and Bonzi unfolded a dramatic and controversial scene. The match was interrupted for 6 minutes due to an unexpected event. Behind those 6 minutes lay a complex conflict involving the referee, the players, and a photographer. Let’s reconstruct the entire incident.

At a crucial moment in the third set, Bonzi was leading 2-0 in games and had a match point at 5-4 on his serve. However, he faulted on his first serve. At that moment, a photographer, assuming the match was about to end, walked onto the court to take pictures. This unexpected intrusion directly disrupted the flow of the match, turning the tense atmosphere chaotic in an instant.

According to normal rules, after a first serve fault, the player should take a second serve unless there are exceptional circumstances. However, the chair umpire Greg Allensworth made a controversial decision, allowing Bonzi to redo his first serve instead of continuing with the second serve as per the rules. This ruling immediately sparked Medvedev’s anger. Known for his emotional nature, Medvedev stormed towards the umpire’s chair and angrily accused Allensworth: “You just want to finish the match quickly because you get paid per match, not by the hour.”

He even shouted at the broadcast camera, “Reilly Opelka is right.” Previously, Allensworth had penalized Opelka for swearing at the crowd, and Opelka publicly criticized the umpire, saying, “You’re unfit to be an umpire and should be suspended for training.” Medvedev’s remark clearly echoed Opelka’s dissatisfaction with the referee.

Medvedev’s provocation fully ignited the crowd’s passion, with chants demanding a “second serve” echoing throughout the stands. Allensworth tried repeatedly to restore order but failed. Bonzi protested to the umpire, claiming Medvedev incited the crowd and should be penalized for a time violation, but received no response. Medvedev, enjoying the atmosphere, even blew kisses toward the umpire’s chair, further escalating the tension and causing the match to be suspended for a full 6 minutes.

From a rules perspective, the photographer’s reckless entry onto the court indeed violated tournament regulations. The USTA later had security escort the photographer off the premises,and revoked his accreditation for the tournament. This served as a punishment for the photographer’s misconduct. However, the referee’s decision in handling the sudden situation was highly controversial. The umpire should have strictly followed the rules, and a more appropriate ruling would have been to let the match continue with the second serve as usual, rather than granting Bonzi a new first serve opportunity.

Poor journalist...

As a player, Medvedev has the right to express dissatisfaction with umpire decisions, but his act of inciting the crowd clearly contradicts the sportsmanship expected of a professional athlete. His behavior disrupted the normal order of the match and greatly distracted his opponent Bonzi. In professional sports, players need to remain calm and rational, resolving disputes through proper channels.

Bonzi, who originally held the match point, was thrown into chaos due to the photographer’s intrusion and the referee’s controversial call. His rhythm was completely broken and his mindset affected. Although he protested to the umpire, no effective solution was provided. Despite this, he managed to finish the match and ultimately won, demonstrating strong mental resilience.

The match resumed after 6 minutes, with the drama continuing. Bonzi faulted again on his first serve, then nervously hit the ball into the net on his second serve. Medvedev seized the chance to win two points in a row, breaking Bonzi’s serve and forcing a tiebreak, which Medvedev won 7-5 to take the third set. Medvedev dominated the fourth set 6-0, pushing the match into a fifth set. At 5-4 in Bonzi’s match point game, Medvedev suddenly suffered a hand cramp. Fans supporting him mimicked the cramp gesture to cheer him on in a unique way. However, the cramp’s effect was irreversible. Medvedev first received a time violation warning, then hit a backhand out of bounds, finally allowing Bonzi to seal the victory.

After the match, Medvedev lost control of his emotions. After shaking hands with Bonzi, he sat down and smashed his racket violently on the ground until it broke. This marked his third consecutive first-round exit at a Grand Slam, with only one win across this year’s four majors. As his ranking points from last year’s US Open semifinal expired, his world ranking is set to drop further.

At the post-match press conference, Medvedev openly expressed his anger and frustration when answering reporters’ questions. Regarding the controversy in the match, he said:

“I’m not angry at the photographer, that’s nothing special.There are noises from the stands between every serve, so by that logic, there would never be a second serve.But actually, it helped me refocus; it was an interesting moment. What I’m upset about is the call on the first serve, not the photographer.”

When asked if he deliberately delayed at match point to disrupt the rhythm, he became emotional: “Honestly, no! I was really frustrated because he had match point on his serve and I hadn’t broken serve all match. I thought I was going to lose. I figured if the umpire stayed silent and he served a second serve, he’d probably win that point and end the match. When the umpire called a first serve, I thought about saying or doing worse things, but rules don’t allow that in an official match. I just expressed my emotions and dissatisfaction, and the crowd reacted spontaneously. It was quite an interesting scene, and at the moment I thought maybe ending my career at the US Open like this would be kind of funny.”

Regarding his incitement of the crowd that caused a roughly 6-minute interruption, Medvedev defended himself: “I signaled them to stop, but the crowd didn’t. Later, I tried to control the situation and quiet them down, but they didn’t want to. Anyway, Bonzi had a chance to serve. Although you say the disturbance lasted 6 minutes, there was a moment after 3 minutes when he could have served, but he didn’t because someone whistled, so that’s his problem.”

When asked if he realized he might face heavy penalties, Medvedev smiled wryly: “I’m definitely going to be fined; I’ve been fined many times already. I know they fine people like me more than others.Kyrgios, Bublik, and also Opelka—they’re often fined for various things.Opelka is a good guy, but just because the umpire doesn’t like him, he keeps getting fined. I probably won’t get away this time either.” He said this while shaking his head helplessly, conveying his frustration with what he sees as unfair umpire decisions.

The 6-minute chaos at the US Open was the result of multiple factors acting together. The photographer’s unauthorized court entry was the spark, the umpire’s controversial decision escalated the conflict, and Medvedev’s irrational behavior further intensified the disorder. In sports events, referees, players, and staff should all strictly follow the rules and maintain professionalism to ensure fairness, justice, and smooth competition.

Who is to blame for this fiasco: the player, the referee, or the photographer?

What’s your opinion?

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