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Daniil Medvedev tried everything at his disposal to escape a brutal fate. Rattled by underdog Benjamin Bonzi, who held match point in the third set of their late Sunday night clash at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Russian stared down the barrel. A bizarre five-minute-long drama eventually worked in Medvedev’s favour, as Bonzi lost his rhythm and the former US Open champion capitalised to force a deciding fifth. But the Frenchman mounted a late comeback in the final set to complete a stunning upset.
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In the drama-filled opening-round clash at the US Open, Medvedev capped off an unfortunate 2025 Grand Slam season with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 loss. It was his third straight first-round exit at a Slam. His only win at a major this year came in the Australian Open first round, where he lost the next match to 19-year-old Learner Tien. It was also his first opening-round exit in New York since 2017—the year he made his main-draw debut at the tournament, which he later went on to win in 2021.
The defeat not only extended his trophyless run since 2023, but also confirmed his top-20 exit in the ATP rankings by the end of the US Open fortnight.
The loss, mounting pressure, and continued decline left Medvedev distraught. After shaking hands with Bonzi, he threw six racquets from his bag into the stands for fans. He then picked up the racquet he had used in the match and smashed it multiple times against the bench, even injuring his hand in the process.
“Ugly scenes,” said the commentator at the site of Medvedev’s mayhem. “This is carnage…he needs to be careful.”
Medvedev stopped for a few brief seconds before smashing the same broken racquet again in sheer frustration. “This is too much now. He needs to get himself off the court now,” the commentator added.
Drama, comeback…and a defeat
A Medvedev match in New York can seldom go without drama. On late Sunday night, Bonzi looked set to wrap up the match when he stepped up to serve on match point at 5-4 in the third set, before a bizarre interruption left the former US Open champion furious. Bonzi’s first serve hit the net as a photographer ran from the entrance onto the court surface and took his position in the photographers’ pit. The chair umpire handed Bonzi another first serve, and Medvedev was not happy. He vehemently argued with the match official, yelled into the broadcast camera and then egged on the crowd, joining them in the boos.
The drama caused a lengthy delay, and Bonzi failed to find that rhythm again. Medvedev not only levelled the score at 5-5, but he also won the tie-break, the fourth set, and earned a break in the first game of the fifth. The world No. 51, who struggled with a leg injury, however, did not give up yet. He fought off five break points and then broke Medvedev in the final game to secure a dramatic win for new coach Nicolas Mahut.
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