As Daniil Medvedev sank into his chair in the early hours of Monday, after his first-round defeat at the US Open throughout which the attention was consistently on the Russian’s spectacular meltdown, the cameras on the global feed finally panned away from his face at a telling moment.
Medvedev, the 29-year-old former World No.1 and Grand Slam champion, was defeated in the first round for a third successive Major, losing to France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4. The raucous night session at Flushing Meadows descended into chaos after Medvedev’s phenomenal tirade against chair umpire Greg Allensworth, when he was down match point in the third set.
Yet, after causing bedlam in the arena and threatening a remarkable comeback; after bursting into childish antics on the court and later obliterating his racket into pieces, the Russian sat in his chair, quiet and unmoving, even as Bonzi soaked the crowd’s applause and gave a celebratory on-court interview.
It spoke of his volatile mental state; how the game of one of the best tennis players of the last six years — whose expertise was the standard-setter on fast courts like the one in New York until very recently – has rapidly declined.
Despite having risen to World No.1 in February 2022 – a few months on from winning the US Open – the younger generation has stolen the spotlight since, showing greater technical and temperamental aptitude to lead tennis’s new era. The Russian’s repeated losses on the big stage in that time – he has won just one match at the Majors this year – seemed to have taken their toll. And frustration boiled over in a way that, even by Medvedev’s own standards, was quite remarkable.
Medvedev had a meltdown after losing to Benjamin Bonzi in the opening round of the US Open. (Screengrabs: X/The Tennis Letter)
Up match point in the third, Bonzi netted his first serve, after which one of the photographers among the media pack stepped on to the court surface. Umpire Allensworth allowed Bonzi a first serve due to the hindrance, after which Medvedev went into a rant, unleashing epithets at the umpire. “Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking?” he said. “He wants to go home, guys, he doesn’t like it here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
There would be a five-minute delay, during which Medvedev goaded the umpire, his opponent, and played up to the crowd as they unleashed a flurry of noise. Bonzi lost the plot, was broken and then lost nine of the next 10 games as Medvedev threatened to use the spectacular outburst as the springboard for a comeback. However, once his nerves settled, Bonzi took advantage of a faltering Medvedev to leave with a victory in the fifth set.
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Unapologetic
During his post-match news conference, Medvedev offered little remorse. “I was not upset with the photographer. 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,” he said, adding: “They (the crowd) did the work. I didn’t do anything. The crowd did what they did without me asking them too much, and it was fun to witness.”
There were few excuses to be made for this kind of behaviour, especially with Medvedev’s history of outbursts against chair umpires. His recent loss of confidence, and total loss of control over his emotions on Sunday, are not just about his volatility, but his game too.
Daniil Medvedev reacts during a match against Benjamin Bonzi in the first-round of the US Open tennis championships in New York. (AP Photo)
“I’m playing bad and in important moments, even worse. Everything. Everything. Serve, return, volley, whatever. Just need to play better,” he would say after another first-round defeat.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have emerged as the top players in men’s tennis, and have also now begun dictating the rules of engagement from the back of the court. It is their first-strike, all-power, attacking baseline game that dominates the tour, as opposed to the counter-punching, defence-first play that ruled for much of the previous decade, and which Medvedev has finessed.
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After being left behind and defeated by the duo in crucial matches — he lost the Australian Open final to Sinner despite leading by two sets only 18 months ago – Medvedev has not been able to arrest his decline.
Results on the tour have shown that, not just his ignominious record at Majors this year. The Russian has gone without a title since May 2023, has lost five out of his last eight matches since reaching the final at the Halle Open in July, and his ranking will now fall further than the current No.13.
It’s hard to even speculate where Medvedev goes from here, after another humbling defeat and a very public breakdown. Perhaps he needs an extended break from the game, maybe even some technical changes and rejuvenated tennis weapons. Something needs to change for the mercurial Russian to return to winning ways, and if he is to be remembered as a sturdy tennis champion, and not a volatile player whose best days didn’t last long.
