Just a year after winning the title, Daniil Medvedev’s surprise first-round exit at the 2025 US Open. His spirited fight ended with an electrifying first-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi on August 24, 2025. The tournament played out at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. Together, the players went toe-to-toe in a grueling four hours of action.
Medvedev was up against it through the entirety of the match, losing in an epic five-set dogfight. Those final scores were 3-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-0 and 4-6. This defeat is especially powerful. Medvedev, the winner of the 2021 US Open, had made it to the finals in 2023 before falling to Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
It was in his match against Andrey Rublev that Medvedev had perhaps his most impressive emotional display. In the process, as tempers flared, he got into a full-throated shouting match with chair umpire Greg Allensworth. Anger soon consumed him as he struck his racket down on the red clay. He even slammed it down on the bench several times in frustration after dropping a big point. This indiscernible public display of emotion was met with praise and disdain from commentators and fans.
“This is just Meddy being Meddy,” – Andy Roddick
Later, Roddick, commenting on the incident in a Tennis Channel commentary segment, supported Medvedev. He went on to assert that self-destruction of one’s own apparatus ought not to be deemed a foul offense.
“What other sports is it unsportsmanlike if you just break your own stuff? That’s his racket; he can break it if he wants,” – Roddick
As the match progressed, Medvedev found himself on the brink of elimination when an unexpected incident involving a photographer caused a delay. When the photographer walked into court, Allensworth had to tell Medvedev to step out of view so as not to distract the audience. This choice led to Bonzi getting an extra first serve anyway, totally raising the stakes.
Even with those difficult conditions, this time, Medvedev’s colorful tirade served as a spark for an astonishing comeback. He didn’t go down without a fight—he rallied beautifully to take the fourth set. This break point conversion earned a forceful fifth set, sparking hopes for a miraculous comeback. Still, Bonzi managed to hang tough and close out the match, earning the win and sending Medvedev’s dreams of another Grand Slam title crashing down.
The match not only underscored the competitive nature of tennis but highlighted the psychological battles athletes face on the court. Medvedev’s run in the Grand Slam has been a fairytale to this point. He won his one and only grand slam title in 2021, beating Djokovic at the same venue. The next year had him back to the finals but losing to the same rival.
As Roddick said after his match analysis into the state of the American tennis landscape, and how competitive it is getting amongst players.
“Ben’s playing great. Taylor, obviously the finalist last year. Tommy Paul has been a semifinalist in a Grand Slam; Frances [Tiafoe] has been a semifinalist in a Grand Slam,” – Roddick
He emphasized that while Medvedev’s struggles may seem pronounced now, there is a broader trend of emerging talent within American tennis circles.
