Confusion on Match Point

The incident occurred when Benjamin Bonzi (ATP No. 51) was leading 6-3, 7-5, 5-4 with match point. After missing his first serve, a photographer entered the court, believing the match was over. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth ruled that Bonzi had to replay his first serve.

That decision infuriated Daniil Medvedev, 2021 US Open champion and current world No. 13, who confronted Allensworth and stirred the crowd with angry gestures.

“Are you a man? Why are you shaking?” Medvedev shouted, accusing the umpire of wanting a quick finish in Bonzi’s favor. Speaking into the microphone, he added: “Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid per match, not per hour.”

The Russian even brought up American player Reilly Opelka’s past comments, yelling: “Reilly Opelka was right! What did he say?” — referring to Opelka’s claim that Allensworth was “the worst chair umpire in the ATP.”

The heated atmosphere, fueled by Medvedev and boos from the crowd chanting “second serve, second serve,” caused a six-minute delay.

Bonzi Holds His Nerve

When play resumed, Bonzi lost his match point, then dropped the game and eventually the set in a tense tie-break. The crowd cheered his every mistake, while Medvedev, playing in sync with the fans, won the fourth set 6-0 to level the match.

But Bonzi regained composure in the deciding set. After breaking early, Medvedev seemed on track for a comeback, but the Frenchman responded immediately. In the end, Bonzi prevailed 6-3, 7-5, 6(5)-7, 0-6, 6-4 in a marathon lasting 3 hours and 45 minutes.

After the defeat, an enraged Medvedev smashed his racket repeatedly while sitting on the bench.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this. Maybe we waited five minutes before match point. Then it was really tough to play. A lot of noise, all the time, during and between points,” said Bonzi after the match. “It was a wild atmosphere. I tried to stay calm and gave my whole heart on the court.”

For his part, Medvedev admitted in press conference he expects a “heavy fine” but surprisingly called the experience “fun”: “The crowd did what they did without me asking, and it was fun to watch.”

According to The Athletic, the photographer responsible for the incident had his media credentials revoked and was expelled from the stadium.