US Open Photographer Claims Innocence After Match Incident

The photographer involved in a controversial incident at the 2025 US Open claims he is “a victim and totally innocent” after losing his tournament credentials. Selcuk Acar, a freelance photojournalist, spoke out following an outburst from tennis star Daniil Medvedev during his first-round match against Benjamin Bonzi.

The incident unfolded in the third set when Acar stepped onto the court during a serve. Bonzi had missed his first serve, but the match was halted as Acar, reportedly unaware of the disruption, found himself between the players. The delay lasted nearly seven minutes as tension mounted.

Acar expressed his distress, stating, “This incident has already turned into a lynching. I am innocent, but I am suffering a lot.” He claimed he was told by security that the match would be paused before he approached the court. Throughout his career, he noted he had covered significant events, including presidential visits in Europe and even the FIFA World Cup.

Despite his assertions, the American Tennis Association decided to revoke Acar’s credentials for the event. They cited instructions given to photographers to remain in designated areas, which Acar allegedly ignored. “The photographer ignored these instructions and inappropriately entered the court between serves,” the association explained.

This incident clearly affected Medvedev, who vented his frustration during the match and urged the crowd to boo. “He wants to go home,” Medvedev said in reference to the situation. After the match, he clarified that his issue was not with Acar but with the decision to allow a redo of Bonzi’s serve, which he felt was unnecessary.

As it turned out, Bonzi also weighed in on the controversy, affirming that rules were broken and that it wasn’t within his power to alter the serve decision. The match ultimately concluded with Bonzi pulling off an unexpected win against Medvedev, moving to the second round with a score of 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4.