Daniil Medvedev’s was a whopper — $42,500. This fine followed after he exhibited disrespectful conduct during a first-round match at the US Open this past Sunday. The total fine is $30,000 for violating the unsportsmanlike conduct provision and another $12,500 fine for the racket abuse. This penalty represents almost 40% of the full $110,000 in prize money he has already earned. That was the total prize money he earned for winning the tournament at Flushing Meadows.
It was during that match against France’s Benjamin Bonzi on Monday that Medvedev provided one of the truly memorable meltdowns. His ears perked up when chair umpire Greg Allensworth allowed Bonzi to hit a second first serve and yelled, “What did Reilly Opelka say? He then charged in the direction of the umpire’s chair, venting his displeasure along the way. At the end of the match, he took his racket and slammed it on the bench several times, indicating his frustration.
Fans in Louis Armstrong Stadium made a mockery match with their screams and whistles. As you can imagine, this made it difficult for Bonzi to be an effective servicer. This resulted in an unusual stoppage of play that lasted just shy of six minutes. Bonzi even threatened to walk off the court and requested Medvedev’s disqualification because of the noisy ambiance.
Even with Medvedev’s resurgence after the outburst, Bonzi was able to prevail in five sets. It is Medvedev’s third first-round exit in grand slam tournaments this season. While he had enjoyed success on other surfaces, he only made it past the second round at the Australian Open.
Frances Tiafoe, another one of Medvedev’s coworkers, weighed in on the 2023 ATP Tour’s downturn. He added that … for Medvedev’s frustrations, the sources behind them are probably in losing early to guys he thinks he should be crushing.
“He holds himself to a super high standard,” – Frances Tiafoe
Tiafoe further elaborated that Medvedev is having difficulty coping with these early losses, saying, “He’s been struggling and he’s struggling to face the music, right? He’s struggling to face losing early and to guys he feels he should be beating.”
His closest friend on tour, Andrey Rublev, said he would welcome Medvedev’s support for as long as these challenges persisted.
“If he wants to change and needs help, he has me, a lot of other friends and family that will help him,” – Andrey Rublev
In response to his own performance, Medvedev remarked on his desire to leave the tournament quickly, highlighting his dissatisfaction with the environment.
“He wants to go home, guys, he doesn’t like it here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.” – Daniil Medvedev
According to the United States Tennis Association, a photographer had to be removed from the court. It’s those negative reactions that had the most powerful effect.
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