Daniil Medvedev, the seventh seed at the US Open, showcased his resilience by advancing to the third round with a convincing victory over American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny. The match, however, was momentarily disrupted by an unexpected visit from two birds that perched on the net, creating a unique moment in the match.
The interruption occurred during a rally in the second set, as the birds settled on the net, prompting the chair umpire to call for the point to be replayed after play had continued for several strokes. Medvedev, who had just executed a cross-court forehand that he believed won him the point, expressed his disbelief at the decision, placing the incident among his top five unusual experiences at the tournament.
"This is very bad," Medvedev remarked, visibly frustrated as he addressed the umpire. The 2021 US Open champion has had a history of losing his composure on the court, which included a hefty fine of nearly £31,500 for a meltdown during his first-round exit last year against Benjamin Bonzi.
Despite the distraction, Medvedev quickly regained his focus. He dominated the match, taking the first set in just 21 minutes and ultimately winning with a score of 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 against Gorzny, who is currently ranked 731st in the world. The victory marks a significant step for Medvedev, who has struggled to reach the second week of a major tournament in recent times, having done so only once in his last seven events since reaching the quarter-finals at the US Open in 2024.
In his on-court interview, Medvedev reflected on the bird incident, saying, "I saw [the birds] straight away. I thought the point would stop straight away but it didn’t. Then we played for 45 seconds and the moment I hit the winner, we say stop. I’m like, ‘Why? We played for 45 seconds!’ But it’s okay. I was not happy with the decision but it is what it is. You can’t do anything with it."
Medvedev expressed his overall satisfaction with the match and his continued participation in the tournament, stating, "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." His next challenge will be against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the third round, as he aims to build on this momentum and advance further in the tournament.
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