Medvedev says he's glad he didn't win controversial US Open clash against Bonzi

Former world No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion Medvedev was beaten 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 by Frenchman Bonzi in the opening round of the event this year, though the scoreline only tells half of the story.

Bonzi looked in full control throughout the first two and a half sets and held a match point when serving for victory at 5-4 up in set three.

After missing a first serve, a courtside photographer bizarrely entered the field of play in an apparent attempt to exit the court.

This led to umpire Greg Allensworth re-awarding Bonzi a first serve on his match point - attracting huge protest from Medvedev.

Play was disrupted for seven minutes as the former world No. 1 remonstrated with Allensworth, with a raucous crowd quickly taking the Russian's side.

Seemingly spurred on by the incident, Medvedev eventually saved the match point when play resumed and ultimately forced a fourth and fifth set.

The crowd proved troublesome at points throughout the rest of the contest, with some appearing to jeer Bonzi despite the Frenchman not being involved in the initial incident.

Medvedev has famously had a love-hate relationship with the crowd in New York, often orchestrating them to his tune.

However, speaking in a new interview with Sofya Tartakova and Bolshe Tennis, the former world No. 1 revealed he found himself unable to control the crowd at times during this match.

He said: "I couldn't do it, because at one point I wanted to say: 'OK, let us play.'

"I saw it was too much for the opponent [Bonzi]. I tried to calm them, but I couldn't."

Tartakova then added to Medvedev: "You hyped them up too well."

Medvedev then responded: "Exactly, and then I couldn't calm them down. But it was a cooling feeling because I just didn't even expect it.

"For me, in that moment, the umpire's decision was wrong, and the fact that the crowd also supported me in this. I went to the umpire also because of the crowd, among other things, because right after this decision, they started to shout, like: â˜Why the first serve?' It was an unusual and interesting experience.

"It was similar to when you play your best tennis, and very often the crowd is on your side, no matter where you're playing and what is happening.

"And, in this case, it was similar to that. Because of it, I was able to play much better and almost win the match."

Medvedev ultimately came very close to winning the match following the controversy, only to fade physically in the close stages of the match.

Salt was later rubbed into his wounds when he received a fine of $42,500 for the incident, one of the biggest in US Open history.

Asked by Tartakova how things would have been different had he pulled through, the 29-year-old conceded he still would have been "upset" regardless of the result.

"I think winning it wouldn't help me in any way," conceded the former world No 1.

"I'd be upset because what happened, especially on match point. Before that, I didn't behave well either, but if I lost the third set 6-4, not many people would remember that match. It would've all been quick and easy.

"But it happened on the match point. Bonzi had nothing to do with it, it was the umpire. I still think, and I'm not criticising anyone, but I think that it wasn't the right moment to grant him the first serve.

"It often happens that the crowds shouts, and the photographer was off the court very quickly. I would've most likely made an error off that second serve and the match would have been over.

"But, it backfired against Bonzi. I didn't hype the crowd to boo him or anything like that.

"Deep down, I'm glad I didn't win, because it would have been very ugly towards him, and I wouldn't want that.

"But when I'm on the court, I try to win, so I played until the end."