Legendary German tennis player Boris Becker did not hold back while advising Russia’s Daniil Medvedev to seek “professional help” following his outburst at the US Open. Medvedev, the 13th seed, succumbed to Benjamin Bonzi in a grueling five-set match, losing 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4. In frustration over his defeat, Medvedev smashed his racquet.

Reacting to Medvedev’s actions, Boris Becker commented on social media, calling the incident a “public outburst” and emphasizing the need for Medvedev to manage his anger. Becker wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “We call this a public meltdown. I think he needs professional help.”

Tensions were high when Medvedev was trailing by two sets. During the third set, a photographer accidentally entered the court area, prompting umpire Greg Allensworth to address the issue. This interference led to the first serve being returned to Bonzi during a crucial point, with Bonzi leading 5-4 after missing his first serve.

Medvedev expressed his frustration with the umpire’s decision through a heated verbal exchange, questioning, “Are you okay, man? Why are you shaking? What’s wrong, huh?”

Turning to the camera, he exclaimed, “Guys, he wants to leave. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

The Reilly Opelka Incident

Medvedev further stirred up controversy by referencing Reilly Opelka. Opelka had faced penalties from the ATP Tour for criticizing Allensworth as the “worst umpire on tour.” Medvedev repeatedly questioned, “What did Reilly Opelka say?” to the crowd, which responded with loud boos.

In his post-match comments, Medvedev opted to remain tight-lipped on the matter, citing potential fines. “I’m getting big fine enough, so if I speak, I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak. Everyone knows what I talked about when I said Reilly. Reilly got fined big-time for this, so I’m going to get a big fine, too,” he stated.

“I was not upset with the photographer. I was upset with the decision. The delay from the photographer was probably four seconds and a half. I’m not sure it’s enough for a first serve,” Medvedev added.