Daniil Medvedev’s outburst on Sunday night is going to have financial repercussions for him.
The Russian tennis player received a hefty $42,500 fine from the US Open on Wednesday, following an incident involving a photographer whose media credentials were subsequently revoked.
Of this amount, $30,000 was for unsportsmanlike conduct, while the remaining $12,500 was for racket abuse.
The fines represent over 38% of what Medvedev earned for his first-round exit, where he lost in a five-set match with scores of 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4.
The photographer, identified as Selkuk Akal, entered the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium while the match was nearing its conclusion, adding to the chaos of the match.
In light of this confusion, Judge Greg Allensworth gave the player, Benjamin Boni, another first serve.
This decision did not sit well with Medvedev, who was quite vocal about it. He confronted the judge, questioning, “Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong? Yeah, he wants to leave. He’s paid in the match, not by time.”
Ultimately, Medvedev lost the five-set battle and smashed his racket in frustration post-defeat.
After the match, Medvedev commented, “I wasn’t mad at the photographer. I was upset by this decision. The delay caused by the photographer was maybe four and a half seconds. I’m not sure if that’s enough for a first serve.”
Following the incident, Akal claimed he was “innocent,” saying, “I am a victim and I am completely innocent. This incident has already turned into a lynching. I am suffering a lot. If there is footage, it will show that I officially stepped back twice and didn’t enter the court.”
The US Open later issued a statement noting that Akal had not adhered to Grand Slam rules, explaining, “Photographers were instructed to remain in designated areas. The photographer ignored these instructions and inappropriately entered the court between serves during match points. The chair umpire also directed him to return to his position, which he disregarded.”
This marks yet another challenging moment for Medvedev in the current season since his 2021 US Open victory.
