The US Open just witnessed its first major drama with Daniil Medvedev! During his match against Benjamin Bonzi, with the score 5-4, 40/30 in the third set, a cameraman interrupted Bonzi’s serve. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth awarded Bonzi another first serve. Medvedev was furious and protested loudly, whipping the crowd into a chorus of boos. This caused a lengthy delay. Despite the uproar, the match didn’t go Medvedev’s way. Nicolas Mahut later shared his thoughts on the incident.

Mahut, who played the longest tennis match in history against John Isner at Wimbledon 2010 and knows all about intense on-court moments, spoke to L’Equipe about it. However, he had one pressing question as he said, “I prefer not to comment on Daniil Medvedev’s behavior in the heat of the moment because I don’t want to say things I might regret, but I cannot imagine Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner acting that way for a second.” And really, isn’t that a fascinating comparison?

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner offer a stark contrast in their on-court personalities. Alcaraz, known for occasional emotional outbursts like smashing his racket at the 2024 Cincinnati Open and a recent clash over a sponsor-related umpire issue, generally keeps his cool and avoids major arguments. His style combines passion and flair, engaging the crowd with visible emotion.

Sinner, on the other hand, is often described as a “robot” on the court — calm and focused no matter the stakes. His demeanor rarely changes, showing a steady, emotionless presence. Though very composed, he did have a tense exchange with chair umpire Marijana Veljovic during Wimbledon 2023 over Hawkeye calls, momentarily disrupting his rhythm before winning in straight sets. This difference shows the unique temperaments of these top players.

Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev has had plenty of spotlight-grabbing moments beyond his tennis. From kicking a camera after crashing into it — saying it “almost broke” his hand — to smashing the net camera with his racket at the 2025 Australian Open, fans have seen it all.

His on-court antics and emotional flare-ups contrast sharply with Alcaraz’s and Sinner’s more measured personas, adding a wild card to the tennis scene. Medvedev’s drama off and on the court keeps fans and commentators talking.

Insiders weigh in on Daniil Medvedev’s US Open drama

Taylor Fritz, fresh from his win over Emilio Nava, jumped into the debate on X. Journalist Ben Ruthenberg pointed out the photographer was quickly escorted off, igniting fan fury. TikTok Tennis even shared video of the removal with the caption, “The next time you think you’ve had a bad day at work, remember…” And Genie Bouchard? She tweeted, “Can’t go to sleep because of this Medvedev match omgggg the drama.”

Bonzi wasn’t happy either. Josh Morgado shared that Bonzi wanted a time violation on Medvedev, saying, “He is doing this. I’m not playing. I’m leaving the court.” Was the umpire’s call fair? Fritz responded with a cool take on X: “Ya, he should get a first, but the call ends up backfiring and hurting him because of the pause, having to sit on a match point for 10 min and then the crowd getting super into it against you. Unless Bonzi hits a huge first serve and gets a free point off the pause, then the whole thing is actually really bad for him.”

Ruthenberg added that the chaos could’ve been avoided if Bonzi had just served. “He had the ball in his hand but chose not to continue,” he said. But by then, the momentum had shifted. That extra first serve helped Bonzi pull off the upset, beating Medvedev 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 in a dramatic five-set thriller.

Medvedev knows the heat he’s in. “I’m getting a big enough fine so if I speak, I’m in big trouble so I’m not gonna speak,” he admitted, referencing Reilly Opelka’s similar woes. The loss marked Medvedev’s third straight first-round Grand Slam exit in 2025.

What’s next? The US Open rages on with defending champ Jannik Sinner and World No.1 hopeful Carlos Alcaraz ready to light up the courts. Stay tuned—this tournament is far from over! Catch all the latest drama on our Live Blog now!