Medvedev Hit with Massive Fines for US Open Outburst

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Daniil Medvedev has been fined $42,500 for his behavior during his first-round defeat to Benjamin Bonzi at the U.S. Open.

Medvedev received a $30,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and a $12,500 fine for racket abuse, according to the Grand Slam rulebook.

He received a total of $110,000 in prize money, so he still turned a profit at this year’s US Open, though smaller than he would have liked. 

Medvedev’s first-round encounter with Bonzi spiraled into chaos when a photographer unintentionally walked onto the court during match point in the third set. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth stopped play and granted Benjamin Bonzi another first serve—prompting a furious six-minute delay.

Agitated and gesturing wildly, Medvedev berated the umpire, taunting, “He wants to go home, guys. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.” He even invoked past comments, asking, “What did Reilly Opelka say?”—a jab at a fellow player’s previous criticism of Allensworth.

Eventually Medvedev saved the match point and rallied back from two sets down, but he was defeated in five sets by Bonzi. The Russian has now lost four consecutive Grand Slam matches for the first time in his career. 

Medvedev later clarified that it wasn’t the photographer he was upset with, but the umpire’s decision.