Star Player Loses It on Ump After Photographer's Gaffe

Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev will not be repeating his feat this year after losing in the first round on Sunday to Benjamin Bonzi of France. And the loss will be a memorable one, thanks to a very public gaffe by a photographer that led to a court meltdown by the Russian player. The details:

• Photographer: The unidentified man apparently lost track of play and entered the court after Bonzi missed a serve on match point in the third set. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth ordered him off the court, then awarded Bonzi his first serve over again because of the delay, which the AP says is a standard call.
• Medvedev: He erupted at the decision to confront—and taunt—the ump. "Are you a man, why are you shaking?" he asked, per Reuters. "He wants to go home, guys, he doesn't like it here," Medvedev told the crowd, speaking into the microphones behind the ump's chair. "He gets paid by the match, not by the hour." As he left, he shouted, "What did Reilly Opelka say?" multiple times, a reference to that player calling Allensworth "the worst ump on tour." He egged on the crowd as it booed and refused to quiet down so Bonzi could serve again, which ended up prolonging the delay to six minutes.
• Video: Watch it all unfold here.

• The match: Medvedev ended up winning the third set but went on to lose dramatically in five sets, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4. "I was not upset with the photographer," the 13th-ranked Medvedev said afterward. "I was upset with the decision. The delay from the photographer was probably four seconds and a half. I'm not sure it's enough for a [first] serve."
• Bonzi: "It's kind of crazy, this match," said Bonzi, ranked 51st in the world. "For me, it's like my best victory ever." He criticized Medvedev for making the situation so tense. "I mean, the rule is the rule. The guy went on the court between two serves," he said. "I mean, it's not my call to say first serve. And I think, yes, Daniil started it, and he put oil on the fire."
• Fallout: No word yet on whether Medvedev will be fined for his outburst. The photographer, meanwhile, had his credentials revoked for the tournament, per the Athletic. The site describes Medvedev as a "volatile player who knows how to work a crowd."