Daniil Medvedev was involved in a heated first-round US Open clash with Benjamin Bonzi, which saw the former US Open smash his racket in frustration after exiting the tournament
Daniil Medvedev smashed his racket after losing at the U.S. Open(Image: Elsa/Getty Images)
Daniil Medvedev delivered a shocking reaction to his first-round defeat at the U.S. Open, angrily destroying his racket and apparently embarrassing his wife in the process, as he vented his frustration over the defeat.
The contest had already been marred by controversy. A camera operator prematurely entering the court resulted in France’s Benjamin Bonzi being awarded another first serve on match point in the fourth set. This caused a six-minute interruption, with Medvedev heard challenging the umpire over the decision.
Although he managed to save the set, Medvedev eventually fell to Bonzi, who had previously beaten him at Wimbledon. It was Medvedev’s third straight opening-round defeat at Grand Slams, but it was his conduct at the U.S. Open that led to criticism from tennis fans on social media.
Reacting to a message from John McEnroe’s brother, Patrick, who recommended that Medvedev step away from tennis for the remainder of the year, one X user commented: “His own wife got up and walked out during the racquet smash – she was embarrassed, I’m sure! Such a terrible image for future young athletes!”
Another X account also expressed sympathy for Medvedev’s spouse, who was photographed with her head buried in her hands during the world No. 13’s match: “If there’s anyone I felt sympathy for in that entire farce, it was Medvedev’s wife; she looked so embarrassed.”
A third social media user said: “I don’t think we should be celebrating and championing this Meddy behavior like this anymore as ‘iconic’. No other players on tour gets away with behaving this badly. Not a good look. There are other great qualities about Medvedev, but let’s be real, he behaved appallingly tonight.”
However, others viewed Medvedev’s actions as entertaining. “Daniil Medvedev may be one of the most compelling characters in all of sports,” one fan wrote. Another posted: “The Daniil Medvedev Experience is truly something else.”
Medvedev’s wife was seen with her head in her hands before leaving the arena during his meltdown(Image: X)
The loss would have stung for Medvedev, considering his stellar track record at the U.S. Open. He claimed the championship in 2021 and reached the final in both 2019 and 2023, though this isn’t the first instance of Medvedev responding furiously to a loss in recent months.
His early exit at the U.S. Open reflects a troubling pattern for Medvedev, who has crashed out at the first hurdle in three straight majors for the first time in his career. This string of disappointing results has hit his prize money haul, with the former U.S. Open winner pocketing around $412,000 combined from all four Grand Slams this year.
He earned a little over $120K after advancing to the second round of the Australian Open at the start of the year. Medvedev then collected approximately $90K for his first-round loss at the French Open. His US Open elimination will net him $110K, which exceeds the sum he banked for his earlier loss to Bonzi at Wimbledon in June.
Benjamin Bonzi earned a five-set win over Medvedev to progress at the US Open(Image: Elsa/Getty Images)
The controversy during his U.S. Open clash with Bonzi created a highly charged atmosphere among the spectators. With numerous fans in the stands appearing to support Medvedev, his opponent acknowledged that it presented a tough challenge to navigate.
“The energy was wild. It was a crazy scenario,” Bonzi said. “I have never experienced anything like that. It was so difficult to play, so noisy. But I tried to stay calm – it was not easy.”
Meanwhile, Medvedev’s racket destruction and behavior following the outcome sparked worries that he might step away from tennis. Medvedev dismissed suggestions that he was hanging up his racket, but confessed that retirement briefly entered his thoughts during the contest.
“Not today, but when I’m finishing my career, you never know where you want to do it,” he explained. “Today I was, like, ‘this could be a nice place to do it’.”