New York (AFP) – German tennis legend Boris Becker believes Daniil Medvedev should seek “professional help” after the Russian crashed out of the US Open following the latest in a long line of spectacular on-court meltdowns. Medvedev was at the centre of extraordinary scenes during his late-night battle with France’s Benjamin Bonzi on Sunday, losing in five sets in a game that descended into chaos during the third set.
The drama unfolded when chair umpire Greg Allensworth awarded Bonzi a first serve as he served on match point after a photographer mistakenly wandered onto the court. That ruling sparked a furious reaction from Medvedev, who unleashed an angry tirade at Allensworth, accusing the official of wanting to end the game early. “Are you a man? Are you a man?” Medvedev ranted. “He wants to go home guys. He doesn’t like to be here, he gets paid by the match, not by the hour.” Medvedev then turned to the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd, waving his arms wildly to encourage them to voice their displeasure, leading to a six-minute delay before Bonzi could finally serve.
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The rattled Frenchman subsequently lost his serve and the set, but later fought back to clinch a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4 victory. Medvedev’s final act was to violently smash his racquet in anger following the loss. The Russian later told reporters he was expecting a big fine for his actions but denied inciting the crowd, leading to the six-minute delay. “I’m getting big fine enough, so if I speak, I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak,” Medvedev said.
Asked if he was deliberately testing officials to see how far he could go before being defaulted from a tournament, he replied: “Today I didn’t do anything bad, no.” But Medvedev’s actions were a cause for concern for six-time Grand Slam champion Becker. “We call this ‘public meltdown'” Becker wrote in a post on X about Medvedev’s eruption. “I think he needs professional help ?!?”. Former US tennis player, coach and commentator Brad Gilbert agreed, saying Medvedev’s “brain is getting the better of him” after a string of recent defeats.
The 29-year-old has now lost in the first round at three straight Grand Slams this year. “I agree he definitely needs some help,” Gilbert replied to Becker’s post. Former US Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe meanwhile said Medvedev should take a break from the game. “And Medvedev needs to take the rest of the year off,” McEnroe wrote on X.
Medvedev has compiled a litany of on-court outbursts throughout his career, regularly clashing with umpires and racking up thousands of dollars in fines in the process. At the 2019 US Open he sparred with American fans after snatching a towel from a ballboy, tossing his racket towards the umpire and making an obscene gesture to the crowd. He was later fined $19,000 for his actions in the tournament. At the 2022 Australian Open, he lambasted chair umpire Jaume Campistol, at one point questioning the official’s competence and asking: “Are you stupid?”
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