Tony Nadal calls for severe punishment on a player! Coach of Medvedev, the great champion, has been dismissed after years of cooperation.

The 2021 US Open winner Medvedev became embroiled in a significant dispute in the opening round of this year’s event. Against Bonzi, the Russian player found it extremely tough and ultimately was defeated in a five-set match. Throughout the contest, Medvedev clashed fiercely with the chief umpire and displayed racket throwing and misconduct. Consequently, he received broad criticism from the tennis world, including from Tony Nadal, Rafael Nadal’s uncle, who also condemned his behavior.

The incident began when a photographer stepped onto the court as Bonzi was about to serve his second serve. Chair umpire Greg Allensworth halted the match and ordered Bonzi to replay the first serve, which provoked a strong reaction from Medvedev. Medvedev shouted at the umpire, “Are you a man? Why are you shaking? He wants to go home, guys, he doesn’t like being here. He’s paid per match, not by the hour.”

However, this scene greatly displeased Tony Nadal. In his column for the National Newspaper, he wrote, “I’m surprised that a player of Medvedev’s caliber cannot control his emotions and is willing to display himself this way, and that hefty financial penalties (like the one imposed later) do not eradicate such behavior.”

Tony Nadal further urged for stricter sanctions against such misconduct. He added, “I believe tennis authorities should consider imposing sports-related penalties for increasingly common acts like racket smashing on court, while also reflecting on why such condemnable behavior appears more frequently in tennis than in other sports. I have never seen a table tennis player smash their paddle, and it’s rare to see a golfer punish their club after a mistake.”

Meanwhile, Medvedev’s controversial actions did not go unpunished; he was fined $42,500, nearly 40% of his US Open prize money. Additionally, the match was interrupted for six minutes due to his outburst. Criticism of Medvedev came not only from Tony Nadal but also from tennis legend John McEnroe, who expressed an unexpected view on the incident.

During his playing days, the American legend was known for his fiery temper and rarely showed mercy to opponents. Thus, he could understand why Medvedev was upset about the umpire calling the serve back to the first serve. However, McEnroe felt that Medvedev should still have exercised more restraint.

McEnroe bluntly said, “Besides the fact that I enjoyed watching it? You know, he had already fallen apart months ago. I’ve been worried about his form because he clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing now. For me, for a player so strong on hard courts, this just highlights his lack of confidence. But I have to admit, I was hoping he could win — not because I wanted Bonzi to lose, since he showed great courage in the fifth set, but because I genuinely wanted Medvedev to take the victory.”

Yesterday, Medvedev announced his split with coach Gilles Cervara. Both parties shared sincere public messages confirming the change.

Medvedev posted a video on Instagram reflecting on many moments they shared, including the 2021 US Open victory. In the caption, he wrote, “Thank you, Gilles, for a wonderful 8 to 10 years, 20 titles, world number one, but most importantly, many joyful moments and memories that will always remain with us. Thanks for your guidance over the years. Let’s see what the future holds.” Cervara also posted a similar message, wishing Medvedev all the best both on and off the court.

Medvedev’s decline in the ATP singles rankings shows no sign of slowing. In the current world rankings, he has dropped to 16th place, trailing compatriot Khachanov, American star Tommy Paul, and Czech rising talent Menšík.

The 2025 US Open marks his third consecutive first-round exit in a Grand Slam. His best Grand Slam result this year was at the Australian Open, but even that was far from ideal — he was eliminated in the second round by the young American prodigy Learner in five sets.

In recent years, especially after being reversed by Sinner in the 2024 Australian Open final, Medvedev has often appeared helpless on court. His once efficient counterpunching style now seems ineffective even against players ranked much lower than him. Whether a coaching change can alter his on-court fate remains to be seen.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)