A wild scene unfolded at the US Open when a photographer entered the court during the match between Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi, leading to chaos and a nearly seven-minute delay in the match as Medvedev let his emotions get the better of him.
With Bonzi serving for the match — leading 6-3, 7-5, 5-4 — a photographer entered the playing surface for an unknown reason, leading chair umpire Greg Allensworth to call for time on the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“Wait please, not now,” Allensworth shouted. “Get off the court, please.”
“First serve. Ladies and gentlemen, because of the delay caused by an onside interference, first serve has been granted,” Allensworth then called.
The decision infuriated Medvedev and went over to confront the chair ump, encouraging the crowd to boo the decision before crashing out on the official and questioning what was wrong.
“Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong, huh? Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match not by the hour,” the 13th-seeded Medvedev said into the camera that was positioned right next to the chair umpire.
The crowd continued to boo for another five minutes, with the unseeded Bonzi refusing to serve until the amped up Queens crowd quieted down.
They also chanted “Second serve!”
Medvedev managed to fend off match point once play continued and rallied back to send it to a fifth set.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
