Daniil Medvedev exasperated by bird incident at US Open
Daniil Medvedev was left exasperated during his US Open second-round encounter when a pair of birds settled on the net in the middle of a rally, prompting chair umpire Timo Janzen to order the point replayed, reports BritPanorama.
The incident occurred at Louis Armstrong Stadium while the seventh seed was leading 4-1 in the second set against American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny. Medvedev was in control of the rally when Janzen halted play, leaving the Russian visibly incredulous as he approached the umpire’s chair.
“This is very bad,” Medvedev stated in reaction to the situation. He later expressed his frustration more pointedly, declaring, “This is the most ridiculous decision I’ve seen in my life.” Janzen explained to the crowd that the point would be replayed due to the bird disturbance.
After winning the match in straight sets, Medvedev elaborated on his irritation. His frustration was not with the let call itself, but with the duration before the umpire chose to intervene. “I saw them straight away and thought the point would stop straight away,” he said. Instead, the rally continued for approximately 45 seconds, during which Medvedev hit what he believed was a clean winner, only for it to be nullified at the moment of play stoppage.
Despite the unexpected interruption, Medvedev secured a straightforward victory over Gorzny, prevailing 6-1, 6-3, 7-5. He delivered 14 aces and finished the opening set in just 21 minutes, accumulating ten winners compared to Gorzny’s two.
After the match, Medvedev remarked on his performance, noting, “I think it was quite good, good level.” The American player, who was participating in only his second Grand Slam main draw match, did put up a fight in the final set, fending off four break points and pushing Medvedev more than in earlier exchanges before succumbing.
This latest bird incident adds to Medvedev’s colourful narrative at Flushing Meadows. His relationship with New York fans has been complex: memorable for his run as a pantomime villain in 2019 and marred by frustrations, such as last year’s opening-round defeat, where he urged spectators to boo the chair umpire after an interruption.
Reflecting on the bird episode, Medvedev quipped, “This would definitely be in the top five [unusual moments]. It’s OK. It happens.” He will now face either Spain’s Jaume Munar or Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the third round.
In sport, it’s often the unexpected that leaves the most lasting impressions. Medvedev’s bemused reaction shows how even in the tightly controlled atmosphere of a Grand Slam, moments of absurdity can spring forth, reminding us all of the unpredictability inherent in competition.
