Daniil Medvedev is flying into the US Open third round after a dominant 6-1 6-3 7-5 victory over American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny, but it was a pair of birds and a controversial replayed point that nearly stole the show and definitely ruffled the seventh seed’s feathers.
Birds, Fury, and a “Top Five” Moment
Forget ace serves, we’re talking about avian interference! Midway through a second-set rally, two actual birds decided the net was the perfect spot for a courtside seat. Play somehow kept going around them for several strokes before the chair umpire finally called for the point to be replayed. Medvedev, who totally thought he’d sealed the point with a cross-court forehand, was visibly stunned by the decision. He was quick to tell the umpire on court, “This is very bad.” He even placed the whole incident in his “top five” most unusual experiences at the New York major.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Medvedev lose his cool, though. Just last year’s US Open, he got slapped with a hefty fine, almost £31,500, for an extraordinary meltdown during a first-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi. And get this, just last month at the Winston-Salem Open, where he again got bounced in the opening round, he was so disconsolate during a change of ends that he started questioning his entire future in tennis, musing, “maybe I should start a career in pickleball.” Dude definitely puts the drama in Daniil, no doubt.
Shaking Off the Chaos for a Statement Win
Despite all the bird drama and his strong reaction, Medvedev quickly brushed aside the chaos. This guy absolutely flew through the first set in a blistering 21 minutes! He then closed out the match against the world number 731 Gorzny with that straightforward 6-1 6-3 7-5 win. The dominance is getting real for Medvedev.
He later explained his courtside frustration in his on-court interview, saying, “I saw [the birds] straight away. I thought the point would stop straight away but it didn’t. Then we play for 45 seconds and the moment I hit the winner we say stop. I’m like, ‘Why? We played for 45 seconds!’.” But he quickly added, “But it’s okay. I was not happy with the decision but it is was it is. You can’t do anything with it. The situation was pretty crazy but I love this court, I’m happy to win, to stay in the US Open, to stay in New York for longer.”
What’s Next for Medvedev?
This win is huge for Medvedev, who has only made it to the second week of a major once in seven tournaments since reaching the US Open quarter-finals back in 2024. So, can he keep this kind of composure and dominance going? He’s set to play Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the third round. Let’s see if he can keep loving that court and extending his stay in New York!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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