In a shocking first-round upset at the US Open, Benjamin Bonzi defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 in a dramatic five-set encounter at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Frenchman took the opening two sets before Medvedev mounted a furious comeback to force a decider. However, Bonzi held his nerve in the final set to complete his second straight Grand Slam victory over the former World No. 1.
After the match concluded, the Russian was involved in a heartbreaking act that captured the pain of another early major exit.
What Happened After the First Round Match Between Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi?
Bonzi started brilliantly, racing through the first two sets as Medvedev struggled with his consistency on the hard courts. The Russian looked set for another first-round exit when Bonzi served for the match at 5-4 in the third set. Drama erupted when a photographer walked onto the court after Bonzi’s missed first serve, prompting chair umpire Greg Allensworth to award the Frenchman a fresh first serve due to outside interference.
This decision sparked fury from Medvedev, who stormed to the umpire’s chair and unleashed a tirade. “Are you a man? Why are you shaking?” he screamed at Allensworth before turning to the cameras: “Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.” The Russian then encouraged the crowd to voice their displeasure, leading to sustained booing that delayed play for over six minutes.
When action resumed, Bonzi appeared shaken and double-faulted to lose his serve. Medvedev seized the momentum, winning the third set in a tiebreak and bageling Bonzi 6-0 in the fourth to force a decider.
Daniil Medvedev looking totally distraught after his loss to Bonzi at the U.S. open.
He’s smashing his racquet and just sitting on the court.
Brutal loss to swallow.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 25, 2025
But the Frenchman showed tremendous effort in the fifth set, twice breaking Medvedev’s serve to seal a famous victory. After shaking hands with his opponent, a devastated Medvedev sat motionless on the court after smashing his racket several times, breaking it completely while hurting his own finger.
Medvedev’s Unfortunate 2025 Season
The US Open loss capped a nightmare Grand Slam year for Medvedev, who finished with just one win across all four majors. His only victory came against Kasidit Samrej at the Australian Open before falling to American teenager Learner Tien in a five-set second-round thriller, 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 1-6, 7-6.
At Roland Garros, he suffered another five-set defeat to Cameron Norrie in the first round after coming back from two sets down.
2025 Australian Open – Medvedev comes back from two sets to love down, loses in five
2025 Roland-Garros – Medvedev comes back from two sets to love down, loses in five
2025 US Open – Medvedev comes back from two sets to love down, loses in five
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) August 25, 2025
The pattern continued at Wimbledon, where Bonzi handed him a first-round exit in four sets. Medvedev repeatedly referenced Opelka’s comments during his Allensworth outburst during the US Open match, showing the tension that has built up over the season.
Despite reaching the Indian Wells semifinal and Halle final on the ATP tour, Medvedev’s Grand Slam struggles represent a dramatic fall for someone who reached at least one major final every year from 2021 to 2024. The sight of the former US Open champion smashing his racket after another crushing defeat was a result of his frustrating year..
