Medvedev received an enormous fine, making his trip to the US Open completely wasted.

Russian tennis star Medvedev was fined a total of $42,500 on Wednesday at the US Open, which is over a third of his total earnings ($110,000). The penalties were imposed because of his response to chair umpire Greg Allensworth during the third set of the opening round (caused by a photographer interrupting the match), as well as for breaking his racket out of frustration after losing to Bonzi in the first round.

According to ESPN, tournament referee Jack Garner imposed a $30,000 fine on Medvedev for unsportsmanlike conduct, along with an additional $12,500 fine for racket damage.

During the third set tiebreak, a photographer’s interference caused a pause in the match, and Allensworth awarded Bonzi a replay of his first serve. Medvedev was very displeased and shouted at the chair umpire, with the crowd also siding with the Russian player. At that moment, Bonzi was just one point away from winning the match. He missed his first serve, but after the photographer moved to the sidelines, Allensworth granted the Frenchman another first serve attempt.

Medvedev angrily shouted, “He just wants to go home, folks. He doesn’t want to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

Bonzi had previously defeated Medvedev in the first round of Wimbledon, and repeated the feat at the US Open, knocking out the Russian star in the opening round of two consecutive Grand Slams. Although Medvedev saved a match point in the third set and pushed the match to a deciding set, Bonzi broke serve in the fifth set to win the five-set battle 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4.

After his victory, Bonzi thanked the crowd for their support, while Medvedev sat dejectedly on the sidelines before furiously smashing his racket against the bench, completely destroying it. This marked yet another early Grand Slam exit for him this year. Earlier, he lost in the second round of the Australian Open to Lenar Chan and was eliminated in the first round of the French Open by Cameron Norrie.

Medvedev’s fine surpasses Kyrgios’s $32,500 penalty in 2022 for “spitting” and “racket smashing,” and also exceeds McEnroe’s $17,500 fine at the 1987 US Open for arguing with the umpire.

However, one star player’s fine far exceeded Medvedev’s $42,500 — Serena Williams. The American legend was fined $175,000 in 2009 for verbally abusing a line judge, which resulted in a “point penalty” during her semifinal match against Kim Clijsters, effectively ending the match. Other notable fines include Fognini’s $96,000 penalty in 2017 for making sexist insults toward an umpire.

Becker and McEnroe have publicly expressed concern about Medvedev’s mental state and suggested he take time off for the rest of the season. For now, the Russian star can only regret his poor performance this year and prepare for upcoming matches. These experiences will serve as lessons, but whether he can overcome this slump remains to be seen.

Outside of the Grand Slams in 2025, Medvedev has achieved some success, reaching the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters (ATP1000) and the final in Halle (ATP500). However, the 29-year-old’s “disastrous” Grand Slam results contrast sharply with his consistency in recent years: from 2021 to 2024, Medvedev reached at least one Grand Slam final each year.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)