'I'm a victim and totally innocent': Photographer at centre of US Open storm addresses bizarre moment

The photographer at the centre of US Open controversy. (ESPN/X)

As the tennis world comes to terms with one of the most insane moments in Grand Slam history, the unlikely man who initiated the controversy has spoken out, describing the viral moment as a "lynching".

A freelance photographer, now known by the name of Selcuk Acar, ran onto the court as Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi was about to hit a second serve on match point against Daniil Medvedev at the US Open.

"Wait please, not now. Get off the court please," umpire Greg Allensworth told Acar.

Moments later, Acar was escorted out of the stadium by security and had his credentials revoked for the remainder of the tournament.

"I'm a victim and totally innocent," Acar told the Daily Mail.

"This incident has already turned into a lynching, and although I'm innocent, I've suffered greatly.

"If there's a camera there, if it's monitored, it will show that I returned to the official twice and didn't enter. I didn't know and see if Medvedev saw me. I'm not a photojournalist that can [make] such a mistake."

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As per the rules, Allensworth awarded Bonzi another first serve due to the distraction on court, which kick-started Medvedev's shocking outburst.

"Are you a man? Are you a man? Why are you shaking? What's wrong, huh?" Medvedev said, arguing that the photographer didn't disrupt Bonzi.

"What did Reilly Opelka say? He earns by the match, not by the hour. Umpire just wants to go home."

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In controversial circumstances, Medvedev used the raucous home crowd to his advantage, winning sets three and four, before succumbing to an epic five-set loss on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

"I've got some new fans and also some new non-fans," Bonzi said in his on-court interview. "The energy was wild. Thanks to the ones that were booing at the end for the energy in the fifth... crazy scenario."

As the match quickly attracted headlines around the globe, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) confirmed that Acar failed to follow strict protocol.

"The photographer had been instructed to stay in place by US Open security," the USTA revealed in a statement.

"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."

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