Photographer says he is harmless after Medvedev’s US Open meltdown

The photographer on the heart of a tennis star’s meltdown on the 2025 U.S. Open says he’s a “victim and totally innocent” as his credential for the event has been revoked. 

Selcuk Acar, a contract journalist and photojournalist, spoke with the Daily Mail after inflicting Daniil Medvedev to lose it on the courtroom at Louis Armstrong Stadium whereas dealing with Benjamin Bonzi within the first spherical on Sunday evening. 

An incident occurred through the third set when Acar stepped onto the courtroom with Bonzi serving. Bonzi missed the primary serve, however the match was paused as Acar was coming into the courtroom in between makes an attempt. 

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Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, gestures after a photographer ran onto the courtroom throughout a match towards Benjamin Bonzi, of France, within the first-round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, in New York.  (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Chair umpire Greg Allensworth gave Bonzi one other first serve, which at that time, was for match level towards the Thirteenth-seeded Medvedev. 

Medvedev misplaced it on Allensworth, and an almost seven-minute delay ensued with each males going backwards and forwards on the courtroom. 

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“This incident has already turned into a lynching, and although I’m innocent, I’ve suffered greatly,” Acar instructed the outlet. “If there’s a camera there, if it’s monitored, it will show that I returned to the official twice and didn’t enter.”

Acar added {that a} safety official instructed him, “The match is stopped,” earlier than he entered onto the courtroom. He additionally stated he has coated quite a few high-profile occasions over his profession, together with Presidential visits to Europe and NATO summits. Acar additionally claimed to have executed work on the FIFA World Cup. 

“I’m not a photojournalist that can [make] such a mistake,” he stated.

Nonetheless, the United States Tennis Association revoked Acar’s credential for the event. 

“The photographer had been instructed to stay in place by US Open security,” they stated in a press release, per The New York Post. 

Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, backside proper, reacts subsequent to chair umpire, Greg Allensworth, left, after a photographer ran onto the courtroom throughout a match towards Benjamin Bonzi, of France, within the first spherical of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, in New York.  (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

“The photographer disregarded these instructions and improperly entered the court between serves on match point. The Chair Umpire also instructed the photographer to immediately sit down, and these instructions were also disregarded. The photographer’s credential was revoked for the 2025 US Open.”

Meanwhile, Medvedev was going ballistic on Allensworth, and tried to get the group concerned as nicely. With his arms raised within the air, he was encouraging them to boo. 

“He wants to go home guys,” Medvedev was heard saying. “He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

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After the match, Medvedev stated that it wasn’t Acar’s scenario that bothered him, however fairly the choice to re-do Bonzi’s first serve. 

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

Bonzi, however, thought his opponent crossed the road. 

“I mean, the rule is the rule. The guy went on the court between two serves,” Bonzi stated. “I mean, it’s not my call to say first serve. And I think, yes, Daniil started it, and he put oil on the fire.”

Daniil Medvedev reacts after shedding the primary two units towards Benjamin Bonzi of France throughout their Men’s Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 24, 2025 within the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)

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While Medvedev was in a position to salvage the third set, and the fourth, Bonzi was in a position to put him away within the fifth set to safe the huge upset of the Russian veteran. 

The Frenchman received the match 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4 over Medvedev to maneuver on to the second spherical, the place he’ll face American Marcos Giron. 

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