Daniil Medvedev exited the US Open on Sunday evening after contesting one of the most dramatic matches in the tournament’s recent history.
With Benjamin Bonzi at match point in the third set, a photographer mistakenly wandered onto the side of the court. After the photographer was told to leave, umpire Greg Allensworth awarded Bonzi another first serve due to the delay in play.
This ignited a furious response by Daniil Medvedev, with the Russian labelling the umpire as the ‘worst’ in tennis.
Play ceased for nearly six minutes, as the crowd were whipped into a frenzy amidst the drama.
Medvedev would go on to save match point and claim the third and fourth sets, before losing to Bonzi in the fifth.
After the match, Medvedev was seen smashing his racket over and over on the side of his seat.
Following the heated contest, former US Open champion Andy Roddick weighed in on the Russian’s behaviour.
Andy Roddick says he ‘never’ changes the channel when Daniil Medvedev is playing
Andy Roddick, who hosts the ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast, discussed Medvedev’s behaviour on the American television show ‘Good Morning America.’
The American star, who remains the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since his victory at the 2003 US Open, said he would be a hypocrite to criticise Medvedev.
Roddick said: “He [Medvedev] loses it, and if I was critical, I’d be hypocritical.
“I remember 2019 he had a bunch meltdowns, as we’re watching him go crazy [clip playing]. Everyone hated him at the beginning of the tournament. By the end of the tournament, I think everyone appreciated him.
“This is just Meddy being Meddy. I never change the channel, I kind of always think it’s funny. I don’t know if that’s right.”
While Roddick and the host were watching Medvedev smashing his racket at the end of the match, Roddick was asked if Medvedev’s behaviour was unsportsmanlike.
Roddick said: “I don’t know? What other sport is it unsportsmanlike if you just break your own stuff? Like that’s his racket, he can break it if he wants, I don’t know.”
The host then asked: “You think it’s part of the game? It’s part of the theatrics of it.”
Roddick replied: “Here’s what I think. As long as it’s not affecting your opponent, right? He’s having a meltdown on his own time. It’s not helping him, right?
“I think being disrespectful to your opponent or playing games that way, I’m probably a lot more offended than yelling, screaming, breaking your stuff.”
Catherine Whitaker says she ‘loved’ Medvedev’s whipping up of the crowd
The hosts of The Tennis Podcast also weighed in on the drama, with commentator David Law expressing his distaste for Medvedev’s actions.
Law said: “This one I didn’t enjoy very much, this outburst from Medvedev.
“So often we come away from the US Open, or have these moments with Medvedev, which feel sort of iconic. This just felt a bit, no, don’t like this.
“This feels like he was trying to make it happen because he was playing like c**p, and it was an anaemic first two sets, and he’s getting beaten at one of the lowest ebbs of his career: certainly since he became a leading player. He seized on this moment, and he just whipped up a frenzy.
“The crowd went with him, and I found it all quite uncomfortable really watching it. I felt really sorry for Greg Allensworth, who made the right call, I think. I felt really sorry for Benjamin Bonzi, who was, frankly, beating him comfortably, and suddenly is in this position where the crowd are just not allowing him to serve.
“But, I mean, some people might say, ‘well, he should have just served with all that noise going on.’
“But even when he eventually did serve, he would throw the ball up and they would try to put him off mid throw, and I think Medvedev lost it really tonight.”
“I think he just lost control. I don’t think that was just choreography or humour. That was him absolutely on the edge.”
Catherine Whitaker, who co-hosts The Tennis Podcast alongside Law and Matt Roberts, interjected: “He did play better afterwards though.”
Law continued: “He did play better, yeah. I mean, look, it played into his hands and there were, there were bits of him showing heart signs to the crowd, which brought back memories of years ago, and the way it did seem to ignite some of his tennis, and he played more like the player we remember.
“But I do feel like the right man won. And then the scene at the end, where he’s smashing his racket in a quite unhinged manner whilst sitting on his chair. I’m glad I wasn’t in his vicinity at that point, I have to say.”
Co-host and fellow commentator Catherine Whitaker took a slightly different view regarding the chaos that ensued on Sunday evening at Flushing Meadows.
Whitaker said: “Yeah, I don’t disagree that lots of Medvedev behaviour tonight was despicable, like the way he talked to Greg Allensworth, not okay. Yeah, absolutely not okay.
“I felt tremendous sympathy for Benjamin Bonzi, and yet I did also f*****g love it.
“Like, is this not what the US Open’s all about? I have space in my heart for all of those emotions, I think.
“I really felt for Medvedev at the end there. As abominably as he behaved at moments tonight… I haven’t got any problem with the whipping up the crowd.
“That’s what I’m coming to New York for: Daniil Medvedev, whipping up a crowd. It’s the stuff towards the umpire that I particularly take issue with.”
