The cameras were ready to capture Benjamin Bonzi’s upset victory. The crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium was on its feet. Daniil Medvedev was two sets down and staring at elimination. Then a photographer made one of the worst decisions in US Open history, stepping onto the court at match point and turning tennis controversy into chaos.
How Did a Court Invasion Turn Daniil Medvedev’s US Open Match Into Mayhem?
Medvedev was in serious trouble during his first-round encounter with the Frenchman, dropping the opening two sets 3-6, 5-7. Bonzi had already stunned the Russian in the opening round at Wimbledon and was recreating that upset on the first day of the US Open. The 2021 US Open champion was staring at a two-set deficit, and Bonzi’s grip tightened further when he served for the match in the third set.
That’s when the match took a bizarre twist. As the 29-year-old hit a fault on his first serve, a photographer suddenly intruded onto the court, intending to capture the winning moment, causing a shocking interruption. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth’s response to the chaos ignited Medvedev’s fury.
The abrupt intrusion forced Allensworth to order the photographer off the court immediately. More controversially, he ruled that Bonzi would be awarded another first serve because of the disruption.
Daniil Medvedev was visibly upset after a camera person walked on the court at match point. pic.twitter.com/5wnVf2GSFm
— ESPN (@espn) August 25, 2025
The decision drew massive jeers from the New York crowd, but riled Medvedev even more. The former US Open champion urged fans to keep booing as he approached the chair umpire, visibly seething, and heard saying to him:
“Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong, huh? Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
Medvedev continued stoking the fans’ boos at Louis Armstrong Stadium, which rumbled on for nearly six minutes and halted play. The prolonged disruption frustrated Bonzi, who had to pause his serve. He pointed toward the Russian and questioned why he wasn’t hit with a time violation.
“He is doing this. I’m not playing. I’m leaving the court”.
Bonzi wants a time violation for Medvedev.
“He is doing this. I’m not playing. I’m leaving the court”.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 25, 2025
The crowd interruption seemed to disrupt Bonzi’s momentum. He narrowly lost the fourth set 6-7(7), giving Medvedev a window for a comeback. The Russian dominated the fourth set 6-0, but the Frenchman refused to relent, taking the fifth set 6-4 to stun his opponent again.
The umpire’s call at that crucial moment only added to Medvedev’s frustration. He had already received a time violation in the 10th game due to an arm cramp that delayed his serve. The Russian never hid his irritation throughout the match and was even seen mocking Bonzi’s fist-pump celebrations.
What Consequences Did the Photographer Face After Disrupting Medvedev’s Match?
Despite Allensworth’s orders to leave the court immediately, the photographer responsible for the interruption did not leave promptly. He was later seen capturing the heated moment before US Open security eventually escorted him off.
However, the photographer didn’t escape the consequences of his actions. Subsequently, his credentials for the 2025 US Open were revoked.
Breaking:
Bounces can report, confirmed by USTA, that the photographer was escorted from the court by US Open security.
His credential has been revoked for the 2025 US Open.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 25, 2025
Meanwhile, Medvedev will want to forget the 2025 Grand Slam season, considering how it unfolded. Despite being among the top seeds, his best result was only a second-round finish at the Australian Open. He suffered first-round exits at the French Open, Wimbledon, and now the US Open.
Bonzi can take heart moving forward. He overcame numerous obstacles in the first-round encounter and extended his flawless head-to-head record against Medvedev to 3-0.
