Daniil Medvedev’s 2025 US Open journey took a wild turn, ending with a surprising first-round loss and a significant fine. In his match with French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi, Medvedev got upset when a photographer stepped onto the court right at match point. This led umpire Greg Allensworth to give Bonzi a chance to retake his first serve. Medvedev then let loose with a fiery outburst—he was taunting the official, getting the crowd riled up, and even held up play for more than six minutes.

It changed the vibe as he battled back to push it to a fifth set. But in the end, that emotional outburst didn’t really make a difference. After the match, Medvedev went all out and smashed his racket, which ended up costing him a $42,500 fine and nearly 40% of his prize money. After the fallout from this meltdown, Medvedev’s professional team went through a major change.

As reported by @Olly_Tennis_ on X, Gilles Cervara, the coach who had been coaching Daniil Medvedev since 2017, confirmed their split just days after the US Open defeat. Also, on his Instagram, Cervara shared the news of their split in a heartfelt message, saying, “Daniil our fantastic eight-season adventure together comes to an end. Like a symbolic wink of life, it’s after this US Open tournament that we end our collaboration. I am grateful and happy for all the great things and wonderful experiences we were able to experience together on the court during these eight years. It will remain etched in my memory forever.”

This separation is an important moment for Medvedev, wrapping up a chapter filled with impressive accomplishments, like winning the 2021 US Open and reaching five other major finals. Still, the recent challenges hint that the breakup might have been unavoidable. Daniil Medvedev has struggled with his game in 2025, getting knocked out in the first round of three Grand Slams—Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Tennis fans are starting to worry about his competitive focus because of how inconsistent and emotionally volatile he can be on the court. So, there were some pretty intense moments at the US Open, and one tennis star had a few thoughts to share about it.

Coco Gauff weighs in on Daniil Medvedev’s controversy

Coco Gauff recently opened up about the situation, highlighting how the unique vibe of New York and the timing of the event really added to the drama. She mentioned, “Yeah, I think it’s A, end of the year. B, I mean, we’re in New York and, you know, the fans here, I love them. But you know, they can definitely, if you’re on the wrong side of things can, they just, they’re into the match. They’re passionate tennis fans.”

Gauff mentioned that the vibe in the city, with all its major events and enthusiastic fans, really amps up the controversies. She said that these kinds of incidents happen a lot on tour, but they really seem to get amplified at the US Open because of social media.

“They know what’s going on and they’re used to other events, I think, like major events happening in the city, not that art tennis. And then I don’t know, I think, to be honest, like with some of the drama, I feel like it happens frequently on tour, but because it’s here, it gets more social media clicks,” said the 21-year-old. Gauff’s reflections really highlight how unique the US Open is, but it’s the emotions and challenges that come with it that make the sport feel so genuine—demonstrating the immense pressure athletes face while being watched by everyone.