"The guy shouldn't have a job... Worst ref" - Umpire caught in middle of Daniil Medvedev controversy at US Open was once called out by Reilly Opelka

Day 1 of the 2025 US Open was marred by major controversy after an incident with Daniil Medvedev and a cameraman. Interestingly, this is not the first time chair umpire Greg Allensworth, in the thick of things on Sunday, has been in the eye of the storm this year.

First, to what happened with Medvedev in New York. The Russian, not having the best of seasons, was at the verge of getting knocked out by Benjamin Bonzi, having lost the first two sets and facing match point in the third. After his first serve went out, the Frenchman was awarded a second first serve, with Allensworth blaming a photographer from coming onto the court between points.

While this is in line with the ATP rules, Medvedev launched into an angry outburst at the cameraman, saying:

"Are you a man? Are you a man? why are you shaking? What’s wrong huh? He wants to go home guys. He doesn't like to be here. He gets paid by the match not by the hour."

Medvedev also directed his fury at the umpire, referencing what Reilly Opelka said about him during the Dallas Open earlier this year. This brings us to what the American thought about Greg Allensworth.

Playing against Cameron Norrie in Dallas, Opelka had an issue with one of the spectators, whom he thought was being particularly interfering while he was serving.

In a moment of frustration, Opelka yelled at the fan:

“You doing it on f****** purpose or what? Go the f*** inside buddy.”

Allensworth, the chair umpire at the time, handed Opelka a point penalty for that, arguing that it was a verbal code violation. Opelka, unperturbed, went on to win the match, but was not happy with the umpire decision.

Using the post-match interviews as platform, Opelka insisted that Greg Allensworth ought to be fired from his job, calling him the 'worst ref' on the ATP. In fact, the American stated that most players agreed with his opinion, revealing bits of their locker room conversation.

"The guy shouldn’t have a job or should be sidelined for about four weeks, maybe learn a thing or two. I don’t get how you can be so bad. You can’t make those calls on an ATP 500. You can’t get frantic and just make a call.”

“Greg Allensworth is the worst ref on the ATP. We were talking about it in the locker room, all the players. Literally it was a coincidence about two days ago we were talking about the worst ump on tour, and everyone was like Allensworth,” Reilly Opelka said.

Opelka insisted that the ATP Tour penalize him for his decision making, even going as far as to say that he would love to play his matches with Allensworth getting involved in the future.

"And if the ref isn’t doing his job and then he penalizes me it’s not a good look, not a good look — it almost changed the outcome of the match. It’s a big point. He didn’t do his job and then he penalized me so he did two things wrong," he said.

"I hope the ATP penalizes him, it would be nice to maybe sideline him for a few tournaments. I’m not having that guy on my court. I really look forward to playing a tennis match with Greg Allensworth [not there]. That would be really, really nice,” he added.

In Flushing Meadows on Sunday, Medvedev was not so lucky, and ended up losing to Bonzi in a five-set epic.

Further controversy at US Open after Daniil Medvedev's furious yelling at cameraman

After Daniil Medvedev's furious outburst at the cameraman on Sunday at the US Open, it has now come to light that the cameraman has been fired by the tournament. As reported by journalist Ben Rothenberg, the USTA has withdrawn his credentials from New York.

"Breaking: Bounces can report, confirmed by USTA, that the photographer was escorted from the court by US Open security. His credential has been revoked for the 2025 US Open," he reported from NYC.

Ben Rothenberg

@BenRothenberg

Breaking: Bounces can report, confirmed by USTA, that the photographer was escorted from the court by US Open security. His credential has been revoked for the 2025 US Open.

Understandably, this has not gone over well with fans, who believe that it is too harsh a punishment for what he did on the night.

"He absolutely should not have run onto the court, but that was no a rational or proportionate response from Medvedev. Or the crowd," one fan wrote in response to the news.

Selina Nutley

@selinakate30

@BenRothenberg He absolutely should not have run onto the court, but that was no a rational or proportionate response from Medvedev. Or the crowd.

Medvedev has now lost at three of the four Slams of the season, the French Open, Wimbledon and now the US Open, in the first round.