NEW YORK (AP) Daniil Medvedev’s match was delayed more than six minutes between points Sunday night, after a photographer entered the court on match point and the 2021 U.S. Open champion became enraged by the chair umpire’s decision to award his opponent a first serve.
Benjamin Bonzi had just hit his first serve leading 5-4 in the third set after winning the first two. After he missed it, a photographer left his position before the Frenchman could hit his second.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth told the photographer to get off the court, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay which is common in tennis. Medvedev then approached the chair to complain about the decision.
He wants to go home, guys. He doesnt like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour, Medvedev shouted into the microphones behind the chair.
Medvedev kept encouraging the loud boos on Louis Armstrong Stadium, which eventually lasted so long that he then tried to get fans to quiet down so Bonzi could serve. When he finally did, he double-faulted, and Medvedev won the game and later the set in a tiebreaker to prolong the match.
It was reminiscent of Medvedev’s 2019 match on the same court, when fans booed him for his actions and he later said in his post-match interview that the crowd gave him energy. He reached the final that year, then won the title two years later.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis