Daniil Medvedev's turbulent 2025 season reached the rock bottom at the US Open. The former champion lost his temper like many times before. However, his latest behavior drew criticism and serious questions.
Daniil faced Benjamin Bonzi in the first round and suffered a five-setter defeat after a thriller. The Russian sparked controversy with obscure gestures and a six-minute delay after disputing a questionable third-set call.
Boris Becker, observing Medvedev's acts, questioned whether his actions hinted at deeper issues. The six-time Major winner suggested that the Russian might require professional help to address his volatility.
Bonzi led 6-3, 7-5 and had a match point on serve at 5-4 in the third set when a photographer mistakenly wandered onto the court. The umpire Greg Allesworth gave Benjamin another first serve, which caused the mayhem!
The call triggered Medvedev's explosive reaction and a six-minute chaos at Louis Armstrong Stadion, orchestrated by the former champion. Daniil confronted the umpire and incited fans to boo loudly, a call they gladly accepted.
Interestingly, Medvedev survived that game once they returned and stole the set in the tie break. He dominated the fourth and took eight straight games for an early lead in the decider.
However, the Frenchman kept his composure, erasing the deficit two times in the final set and emerging at the top for a thrilling victory. Medvedev repeatedly smashed his racket after the loss, a scene that added to his growing list of on-court outbursts.
The Russian's inability to channel emotions when he struggles on the court has become a recurring storyline. He has not won an ATP title since May 2023, and his results will hardly keep him in the top-20 too long.
As Becker and other mentioned, with Daniil's composure increasingly under scrutiny, the spotlight sadly shifts from his tennis to his state of mind. Will he ever recover and act and compete like a true top-10 player?
It's hard to tell at the moment, but he may require radical cuts around his career to extend it and channel his potential into more trophies.
