Birds on the Net, Business as Usual for Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev made it through to the third round of the 2026 US Open with a commanding victory over American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny, though a feathered subplot threatened to derail proceedings. Midway through the second set, two birds landed on the net and watched play continue around them for roughly 45 seconds before the chair umpire stepped in and ordered the point replayed. Medvedev, who had just struck what he believed was a clean cross-court forehand winner, was visibly frustrated and told the umpire directly: "This is very bad." He later described the incident as ranking among his top five strangest moments at the New York major, though he ultimately accepted the ruling with a shrug, saying "it is what it is."
The 2021 US Open champion had already blazed through the opening set in just 21 minutes, and despite the brief chaos on the net, his level never dropped. The final scoreline of 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 reflected clear dominance over Gorzny, ranked 731st in the world, who was making his Grand Slam debut. Medvedev's next opponent will be Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the third round.
Gorzny's Remarkable Journey to Flushing Meadows
While the result was straightforward for Medvedev, Gorzny's presence at the US Open carried a deeply personal backstory. Seven years ago, at age 15, he suffered a seizure during a junior tournament in Michigan and was placed in an induced coma for four days. Doctors suspected a mosquito bite led to a brain infection, possibly meningitis or encephalitis. That he reached his first Grand Slam main draw is a remarkable achievement in its own right.
Medvedev, meanwhile, continues his bid to rediscover the form that carried him deep into majors in previous years. TennisDraw bracket users had him penciled in as a strong contender to make the second week at Flushing Meadows.
