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Medvedev-Bonzi Clash Turns Into Chaos, Photographer Triggers Controversy; Crowd Booes Ref For 6 Minutes – Watch

admin | August 25, 2025 3:22 PM CST

The 2025 US Open first-round clash between 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev and unseeded Benjamin Bonzi saw extraordinary scenes at the Louis Armstrong court in New York as an innocent act by the photographer triggered a controversy unlike any other in Tennis history, while also changing the course of the match.

Bonzi was on course to seal a huge upset on Sunday (August 24) on the opening day of the tournament as he won the first two sets by a margin of 6-3 and 7-5. The Frechman then took a 5-4 lead in the third set and was serving for the match before he hit his first serve on the net. As he prepared for the second serve, cameras spotted a photographer trying to leave the court from behind and coming onto the court. At this point, the match referee took a call that left the tennis fraternity by surprise as he allowed Bonzi to take his first serve again. This evidently triggered Medvedev, who rushed toward the chair and had a heated altercation. The crowd also took the Russian star's side and booed the match official for six straight minutes as Bonzi waited to serve. "Are you a man? Are you a man? why are you shaking? What's wrong huh? Guys he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match not by the hour," Medvedev was heard telling the referee. The one-time Grand Slam champion was also seen encouraging the crowd to support him during the incident. :

Medvedev Turns Game Around Against Bonzi The incident completely changed the course of the game as Bonzi failed to win the match point and then was broken for the first time in the match. He ended up losing the set on a tie-breaker. In the third set, he was broken twice and went 4-0 down before calling for a medical timeout. Medvedev completed a bagel and took the game to a decider. However, the Frechman managed to regain composure and won the fifth set 6-4 to seal a place in the second round.