Benjamin Bonzi’s coach admits he would “prefer not to talk” about Daniil Medvedev’s behaviour after their hugely controversial US Open clash.
After beating former world No 1 Medvedev in the opening round of Wimbledon, Bonzi again saw off the Russian in US Open round one action on Monday.
However, the manner of the world No 51’s 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 triumph was anything but straightforward, and loaded with controversy.
Serving for the match and holding a match point in the third set, Bonzi missed a first serve, only for a photographer to then enter the court in an attempt to leave the match.
Umpire Greg Allensworth ruled that the disruption was significant enough to allow Bonzi to have his first serve back, drawing the ire of 2021 US Open champion Medvedev.
A six-minute delay saw Medvedev and Allensworth clash, with the former world No 1 riling up the crowd to the point where some were booing Bonzi when play eventually resumed.
The incident looked as if it had completely turned the tide of the match, with Medvedev saving a match point and breaking Bonzi, before winning the third-set breaker and running away with the fourth set.
However, the match took a stunning final turn late on, with Bonzi rallying from a break down in the final set to seal an extraordinary victory.
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After his third straight round-one defeat at a Grand Slam, Medvedev obliterated his racket by smashing it into the side of his chair, and took a notable amount of time to leave the court.
The controversy was the most talked-about incident of the opening day in New York, and drew a strong reaction from Bonzi’s coach, doubles great Nicolas Mahut.
Speaking to L’Equipe, the five-time Grand Slam champion and former world No 1 slammed Medvedev, and compared the Russian’s behaviour to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
“It’s an incredible incident,” said Mahut. “In any case, incidents like that always happen in very important moments.
“I think the referee didn’t necessarily handle the situation well and I prefer not to talk about Daniil’s behaviour in the heat of the moment, because I don’t want to say things that I might regret, but I can’t imagine Alcaraz or Sinner acting like that for a second.”
While Medvedev finds himself reckoning with his latest Grand Slam early exit, holding a 1-4 record at majors this year, Bonzi finds himself in the second round of a major for the third time in 2025.
Speaking in the aftermath of the dramatic match, the 29-year-old admitted it had been difficult to remain focused.
“I never experienced something like that I don’t know. Maybe we waited five minutes before the match point,” said the Frenchman.
“Then it was so difficult to play. So noisy. All the time during the points, between the points… it was a very wild atmosphere.
“I tried to stay calm, stay in the match. It was not easy. At the end, I gave all my heart on the court and I have the win today.”
The post Benjamin Bonzi’s coach slams Daniil Medvedev after major US Open controversy appeared first on Tennis365.
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