NEW YORK – Is Daniil Medvedev nuts? The Russian looks to have hit rock bottom: “You can tell he’s not enjoying himself on court.”
Medvedev’s madness reached its peak in Queens: tantrums, shouting, obscene gestures, sparring with the crowd, arguing with the umpire… and a smashed racquet.
Louis Armstrong Stadium was the stage for one of the Russian’s most iconic shows. The turning point came with a surreal scene: a photographer walked onto court between Benjamin Bonzi’s first and second serve, with match point in favour of the Frenchman in the third set.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth correctly applied the rulebook and awarded Bonzi a first serve, which unleashed Medvedev’s fury. The Russian shouted lines such as “He wants to get out of here because he’s paid by the match, not by the hour,” or “What did Reilly Opelka say!?” – referring to the North American, who once claimed Allensworth was the worst umpire on tour. The match was eventually decided in five sets in Bonzi’s favour.
The former world number one and 2021 US Open champion has won only one Grand Slam match all year and is enduring the worst season of his career since breaking into the elite. Does he need a break? Some of his colleagues gave their views to CLAY.
Medvedev’s wife… pic.twitter.com/9FJjyMDO6u
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 25, 2025
“He’s one of my favourite players and I really like the way he plays. I don’t think he needs anything. The level of tennis has gone up and what’s missing is confidence,” said Cameron Norrie in his press conference after winning his opener.
“For me, I’ve seen him try some new things this year, trying to be more aggressive. He’s been at the top ever since I came on tour, someone I’ve always admired,” added the British left-hander, ranked 35 in the world.
Norrie believes the Russian will bounce back: “If I had to say something to him, it would be to enjoy tennis a bit more. I think he’s like me: you put a lot of pressure on yourself to stay at the top, but it’s easy to forget why you play. I think he’ll have a good end to the year. And if not, next year will be big. He’ll be back.”
“You can tell he’s not enjoying himself on court,” Zizou Bergs told CLAY.
“He’s a Grand Slam champion, so he’ll definitely find his level again soon. It’s only a matter of time before he starts winning big matches again,” added the Belgian.
Former player Boris Becker was blunt on Twitter as quoted one tweet about the Russian smashing his racquet at the end of the match: “We call this a public meltdown… I think he needs professional help!?.”
“If you’re burnt out with your job, obviously you’re going to want to do something else or take a break and then come back recharged. Whether you’re a tennis player, footballer, pilot or journalist…,” said Argentine Sebastián Báez.
“People do stupid things. It’s happened before and it will happen again. As photographers we need to be aware of our surroundings, to know where we’re working. But at the end of the day, these things happen, in tennis and in other sports. More than once someone has walked across just as a golfer takes a swing,” one of the most experienced accredited photographers at this year’s event told CLAY.
In the photography room corridors, few seemed to know the unexpected protagonist. “He’s not a tennis photographer,” said another accredited professional about the man who changed the course of the match.
As for the photographer who triggered the scandal, his credential was revoked and he will not be allowed to work again at the US Open.
You might end up changing the course of the match. #Medvedev #Bonzi pic.twitter.com/6qxPYUcMEr
— Clay (@_claymagazine) August 25, 2025
In an interview with BBC’s Jonathan Jurejko at Wimbledon, Medvedev was candid about his outbursts on court.
“Being myself is the easiest way to be, because if you try to act – or overact – people notice and you end up losing yourself.”
“I always say it’s like when you drive in the city: when someone honks the horn, that’s my equivalent of my reactions on court,” he explained.
At the 2025 Australian Open, Medvedev was fined more than $80,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after smashing a net camera with his racquet.
The USTA will soon announce how much his latest tantrum in New York will cost him.
