The latest Medvedev meltdown on Louis Armstrong Stadium led to a wild change in the match. The No.13 seed was a point away from being eliminated, then won the next two sets to force a deciding fifth. Benjamin Bonzi eventually eliminated him from a second straight major with a 6-3 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 0-6 6-4 victory that ended early Monday morning.
"It's kind of crazy, this match," Bonzi said.
"For me, it's like my best victory ever."
And he blamed Medvedev for making it a tense one, saying he believed the Russian's behaviour crossed a line.
"I mean, the rule is the rule. The guy went on the court between two serves," Bonzi said.
"I mean, it's not my call to say first serve. And I think, yes, Daniil started it, and he put oil on the fire."
Bonzi had just hit his first serve leading 5-4 in the third set. After missing it, a photographer left his position and began walking along the side of the court.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth told the photographer to get off, then announced that Bonzi would get another first serve because of the delay — which is common in tennis. Medvedev then approached the chair to complain about the decision.
"He wants to go home, guys. He doesn't like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour," Medvedev shouted into the microphones behind the chair.
Medvedev said after the match that he didn't believe the interference from the photographer was long enough to warrant restarting the point.
"I was not upset with the photographer. I was upset with the decision," Medvedev said.
Medvedev also shouted "What did Reilly Opelka say?" as he backed away from Allensworth's chair. Opelka was penalised by the ATP Tour in February after calling Allensworth the "worst umpire on tour."
Medvedev wouldn't elaborate on that part of the exchange during his press conference.
"I'm getting big fine enough, so if I speak I'm in big trouble, so I'm not going to speak," he said.
"Reilly got fined big-time for this, so I'm going to get a big fine, too."
Medvedev blew kisses to fans and kept encouraging the loud boos, which lasted so long that he then tried to get fans to quiet down so Bonzi could serve. When Bonzi finally did, he missed the first serve and then lost the point, and Medvedev won the game and later the set to prolong the contest.
It was reminiscent of Medvedev's 2019 match on the same court, when fans booed him for his antics and he later taunted the crowd in his post-match interview, saying the jeers gave him energy.
Medvedev sat in his chair for a few minutes after his latest outing and repeatedly smashed his racket before eventually departing.
A US Tennis Association spokesman said the photographer was escorted from the court by US Open security and his credential was revoked.
