Daniil Medvedev reacts next to the Greg Allensworth chair referee after a photographer ran on the field on Sunday in New York.
(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
The revenge match initially seemed as if it were going to be a faster upheaval than the first time. Bonzi won the first two sets and was up 5-4 and served for Match Point in the third … When the whole hell came off.
Bonzi missed his first service and was preparing for his second when he was interrupted. A photographer who apparently thought that the match was finished had entered the field and was immediately reprimanded on the speaker by the referee of the Greg Allensworth.
Allesworth then announced that Bonzi would have another chance at his first service “due to the delay caused by an external interference”.
The decision seems to be based on a USTA tournament regulation which stipulates that if there is a delay between the first and second, “the server obtains two services if the delay was caused by the receiver or if there were external interference.”
The announcement made a negative response from the crowd, which Medvedev encouraged using arms gestures. He then started to reprimand Allensworth, seeming to ask him: “Are you a man?” More than once before looking at the microphone behind the chair to address the crowd.
“He wants to go home, guys,” said Medvedev. “He doesn’t like to be here. He’s paid by the match, not on time.”
He also shouted, “What does Reilly Opelka say?” At least three times, in reference to the American player who was sentenced to a fine by the ATP tour earlier this year after qualifying Allensworth of “worse UMP on tour”.
Medvedev later told journalists that he was upset by Allensworth’s decision because he did not think that the photographer had caused enough delay to justify a first service.
While returning to court, Medvedev continued to withdraw so that the crowd expresses his dissatisfaction. Many fans have conformed, television images showing that many of them seemed to be more amused than smoked by the situation.
After about two minutes, Allensworth asked for the order so that Bonzi can serve. When this did not work, Medvedev began to signal the spectators to calm down. They did not do it, and Medvedev seemed to take advantage of the long disturbance, at some point, blowing from kisses to the stands.
“I just express my emotions, my misfortune with the decision,” said Medvedev later. “And then the crowd did what they did without me, without me asking them too much. And it was fun to attend. “
Bonzi seemed to be about to serve several times before stopping because of the noise.
“Whenever I made the line to serve and every time I was doing this, everyone was flowing. I felt that I hadn’t hurt anything in the match, like this treatment, and I didn’t want to serve in these conditions,” said Bonzi. “So I was waiting.”
After a delay of about six minutes, Bonzi finally served – and missed again, to the delight of the crowd. He obtained the second service on the net but lost the point after a long volley.
