Daniil Medvedev has been slapped with a £30,000 ($42k) fine for his behaviour during his first round defeat at the US Open.
The Russian No.16 seed was hit with a £22k fine for unsportsmanlike behaviour after clashing with umpire Greg Allensworth and whipping up the crowd to cause a six-minute delay.
He has been docked a further £8k for racket abuse after repeatedly smashing it after his five-set defeat to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.
Players receive £81k for losing in the first round in New York. The 2021 New York champion was furious when Allensworth awarded Benjamin Bonzi a first serve when a photographer – since banned from the event – walked on court after the Frenchman had missed his first serve on match point in the third set.
The Russian No.13 seed approached the chair and vehemently protested the decision. He told the American official: “Are you a man? Why are you shaking? He wants to go home guys, he doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
Allensworth was branded the “worst ref on the ATP” by Reilly Opelka at the Dallas Open in February after he was hit code violation and then a point penalty for two audible obscenities. He also called for Allensworth to be suspended.
And Medvedev also chanted into the camera by the umpire’s chair: “What did Reilly Opelka say? What did Reilly Opelka say?”
Medvedev then caused play to be delayed for six minutes as he waved his arms to encourage the late-night crowd in the Louis Armstrong Stadium. He saved the match point but still lost the match – and now 40% of his earnings from the final Grand Slam of the season.
The 2021 US Open champion also lost in the first round at Wimbledon to world No.51 Bonzi and won only one Grand Slam match this year.
