India, Aug. 25 -- Daniil Medvedev tried everything at his disposal to escape a brutal fate. Rattled by underdog Benjamin Bonzi, who held match point in the third set of their late Sunday night clash at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Russian stared down the barrel. A bizarre five-minute-long drama eventually worked in Medvedev's favour, as Bonzi lost his rhythm and the former US Open champion capitalised to force a deciding fifth. But the Frenchman mounted a late comeback in the final set to complete a stunning upset.

In the drama-filled opening-round clash at the US Open, Medvedev capped off an unfortunate 2025 Grand Slam season with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 loss. It was his third straight first-round exit at a Slam. His only win a...