Daniil Medvedev’s US Open 2025 ended in a first-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi. His racquet-smashing and heated arguments with officials overshadowed the match, adding to a poor year with early Grand Slam exits and a drop in ATP rankings.
Russian tennis star and World No.13 Daniil Medvedev made a shock exit from the ongoing US Open 2025 after losing the opening round of the men’s singles against Benjamin Bonzi of France on Monday, August 25. Medvedev was the finalist in the last edition of the US Open, where he lost to the first-time champion Jannik Sinner.
The 2022 US Open champion continued his disappointing run in Grand Slams this year as they suffered a five-set defeat – 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, as the Russian fell to France’s Benjamin Bonzi in a chaotic and emotionally fuelled opening round at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Medvedev lost the first two sets and was on the verge of a straight-sets defeat. However, Daniil Medvedev kept his hopes alive to move to the second round by making a comeback in the next two sets and pushed the match into a decider.
In the fifth and final set of the opening round, Medvedev faltered under pressure as he lost the serve at 3-4 before Bonzi leveraged the opportunity to seal the match 6-4, handing the Russian No.1 a stunning early exit and triggering headlines for his on-court tantrums.
Medvedev’s tantrums grab the spotlight
Daniil Medvedev’s shock exit from the US Open might not have grabbed the headlines as much as his on-court tantrums. Medvedev is often known for his fiery temperament and emotional outbursts on the court, which put him in the spotlight during the match. The 29-year-old’s outbursts were on display throughout the first round of the men’s singles.
During the third set, when Bonzi was leading 5-4 and serving for a match point, a photographer accidentally stepped onto the court, which enraged Medvedev, who walked up to the chair umpire to have a fiery exchange of words while responding to the boos from the crowd at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The match was halted for six minutes before Bonzi began serving on match point.
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Another outburst by Medvedev was furiously slamming his racquet after a shocking defeat to Benjamin Bonzi in the first round of the US Open. The Russian’s meltdown was quite aggressive as he kept slamming the racquet until it became visibly damaged, with strings loosening and the frame showing signs of stress. This shows how much frustrated he was by the defeat amid the chaos he created during the match,
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The opening round of the men’s singles between Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi was quite chaotic, rather than competitive, marked by more emotional outbursts, interruptions, and Medvedev’s visible frustration after the defeat. The boos from the crowd towards him only fuelled his frustration, as he had a heated argument with the chair umpire and officials and smashing the racquet, turning what should have been a competitive match into a spectacle dominated by emotions.
Has Daniil Medvedev become the ‘bad boy’ of tennis?
Daniil Medvedev’s recent outbursts in his first-round defeat at the US Open 2025 have further fuelled debate over his ‘bad boy’ tag in tennis. ‘Bad Boy’ of tennis is often referred to those who combine immense talent with fiery temperament, on-court tantrums, and frequent clashes with officials, drawing both attention and criticism.
The likes of John McEnroe, Nick Kyrgios, and Daniil Medvedev have been labelled as ‘bad boys’ for their aggressive on-court behavior, emotional outbursts, and willingness to challenge authority, making them enthralling and controversial figures in tennis. In 2023, the 18-time Grand Slam champion and US tennis legend, Chris Evert, called Medvedev a ‘mischievous little bad boy’ after his defeat in the Indiana Wells final to Carlos Alcaraz.
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Medvedev’s on-court behaviour has often sparked controversy, which resulted in fines, warnings from officials, and widespread scrutiny from the media, further cementing his reputation as one of the temperamental and polarizing figures in tennis. At the Australian Open this year, the Russian tennis star was fined $76,000 for his unsportsmanlike misconduct in the first two rounds of the tournament, including smashing a racquet and destroying a net camera.
Daniil Medved often comes under scrutiny not just for his fiery outbursts and aggressive behaviour but also emotional reactions to his losses, confrontations with officials, and dramatic displays that either captivate the crowd or frustrate fans and fellow players alike.
A year to forget for Daniil Medvedev
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev has had a disappointing season as he struggled with consistency, suffered early exits from all four Grand Slams, second round in the Australian Open, and first round exits from each at the French Open, Wimbledon Championships, and now, the US Open.
Medvedev began the ATP season with a rank no.4 and has dropped to No.13 before the US Open first round clash against Benjamin Bonzi. The Russian will be out of the top 20 in the ATP Rankings after an early exit from the US Open, ending what has been a frustrating year for the 29-year-old.
In the ongoing season, Medvedev has not won a single title in 18 tournaments he has played so far, and has a win-loss ratio of 26-18, highlighting a stark contrast to his previous dominant seasons.