Daniil Medvedev fined $42,500 for umpire tirade, racket smash at US Open
Medvedev's six-minute outburst came after his opponent was issued a second serve
•
1 min read
Daniil Medvedev has been fined for his behavior during Sunday night's first-round match at the US Open. Medvedev was fined a total of $42,500 for berating the umpire and "racket abuse" during his fifth-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi.
The fines cut deep into Medvedev's $110,000 earnings for his one night of work. The Russian player, seeded 13th for the US Open, received two separate fines, according to ESPN. Medvedev was penalized $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct by tournament referee Jake Garner, and another $12,500 for racket abuse.
Daniil Medvedev's US Open crash out is latest in his own long history of over-aggressive outbursts on court
Brad Crawford
The initial incident occurred when a photographer, thinking the match was over, walked onto the court during the second match point. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth ordered the photographer, whose credentials were later revoked, to leave before granting Bonzi a second first serve. A furious Medvedev protested the ruling for about six minutes, during which the crowd booed and chanted "second serve."
"He wants to go home, guys," Medvedev shouted into the microphones behind the umpire chair at Louis Armstrong Stadium. "He doesn't like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour."
Medvedev, who was on the verge of losing in straight sets, did eventually win the third and fourth sets, but lost the match in five. After the contest, Medvedev destroyed his racket by repeatedly smashing it against his chair. The setback marked Medvedev's third consecutive first-round Grand Slam loss and second consecutive Grand Slam loss to Bonzi.
Medvedev's outburst was not an isolated incident. In 2019, he flipped off the crowd, snatched a towel away from a ball boy and tossed his racket towards an umpire. Earlier this year, Medvedev was fined $76,000 for camera and racket-smashing tirades. He was also fined at Wimbledon in 2017 after emptying his wallet and throwing coins at umpire Mariana Alves.
