Daniil Medvedev is no stranger to unusual moments on the tennis court, but Wednesday’s second-round match at the US Open brought an interruption when two birds landed on the net.
The No. 7 seed and 2021 champion was on course for a comfortable win over American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny inside Louis Armstrong Stadium when the unusual incident stopped play. Medvedev eventually won 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round, but the delay left the Russian surprised and visibly frustrated with chair umpire Timo Janzen.
Daniil Medvedev Reacts to Bizarre Bird Interruption After 45-Second Delay at US Open
The bizarre incident happened midway through the second set, during a long rally, when two house sparrows suddenly swooped down and landed on the net.
The point continued despite the interruption. However, just as Medvedev took control and went for a potential winner, chair umpire Timo Janzen suddenly stopped play and called a let, ordering the point to be replayed.
Medvedev was left stunned. He put his hands on his head before walking toward the umpire’s chair and telling Janzen, “This is very bad.”
“This is the most ridiculous decision I’ve seen in my life,” Medvedev told the umpire.
#DaniilMedvedev really reported the sparrow to the umpire 😭#USOpen 2026 👉 LIVE NOW on Star Sports and JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/Sc1K7P4KFC
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 2, 2026
Janzen quickly turned on his microphone to explain the decision to the confused crowd. “Due to the birds, we will replay the point,” he announced, sending Medvedev back to the baseline.
The 2021 champion kept his composure for the rest of the match and completed the straight-sets victory. However, during his post-match on-court interview, Medvedev made it clear that the birds were not the problem. He was frustrated by the umpire’s delayed reaction, which cost him a point after a long rally.
“I saw them straight away, and I thought the point would stop straight away, but it didn’t,” Medvedev told the amused crowd after the match. “Then we play for 45 seconds, and the moment I hit the winner, we say stop. I’m like, why? We played for 45 seconds, but it’s okay.”
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The former World No. 1 also thanked the crowd for their support. He admitted he was unhappy with the umpire’s decision but accepted that there was nothing he could do about it.
“I was not happy with the decision, but well, it is what it is, and you cannot do anything with it,” Medvedev concluded. “But yeah, the situation was pretty crazy, but I love this court. I’m happy to win. I’m happy to stay in the US Open in New York for longer. I love this tournament. I love you guys.”
Next up, the 30-year-old will play the 26th seed, Arthur Rinderknech, in the third round.
