Medvedev faces fine after explosive US Open meltdown

Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev has been hit with a hefty fine following a wild first-round loss in New York, the BBC reported.

The 29-year-old Russian, once the world’s top-ranked player, crashed out against France’s Benjamin Bonzi after losing his cool when a photographer stepped onto the court at a critical moment.

Tournament officials fined Medvedev nearly $42,500 in total — $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and another $12,500 for smashing his racquet against a chair. That’s about 40% of the prize money he earned for reaching the first round.

«I’m getting a big fine already. If I talk, I’ll be in even more trouble, so I’m not going to,» Medvedev said after the match.

The flashpoint came late in the third set, with Bonzi serving at 5-4, match point. After a photographer wandered onto the playing surface between serves, chair umpire Greg Allensworth allowed Bonzi to retake his first serve — a decision that infuriated Medvedev.

He stormed toward the umpire, shouted in protest, and whipped up the New York crowd into a frenzy. The match was delayed more than six minutes before play could resume. Medvedev managed to push the contest into a deciding fifth set, but after falling short, he vented his frustration by obliterating his racquet before sitting slumped in his chair, head down, for several minutes.