Daniil Medvedev's psychologist speaks out on US Open meltdown that saw him fined £31k

Daniil Medvedev hit the headlines on day one of the US Open when he imploded during a five-set defeat to Benjamin Bonzi. There was drama in the third set when a photographer walked onto the court while Bonzi had a match point.

Former champion Medvedev managed to get back into the match but Bonzi went on to win in five sets, and Medvedev destroyed his racket. He was later fined £31k ($42.5k) for his antics, and soon announced that he was splitting with his coach and his physiotherapist.

One person Medvedev has turned to again is psychologist Francisca Dauzet, who returned to his team ahead of the Halle Open in June, and has now discussed his antics in Flushing Meadows.

The world No. 18 confronted the umpire in the third set when a photographer ran onto the court. Bonzi was up match point and had a second serve, but the chair official gave him a first serve because of the unusual interruption.

Medvedev marched to the chair, shouting at umpire Greg Allensworth as the fans jeered and booed the decision. The Russian spurred the crowd on and there was a six-minute delay before the point was played.

It gave Medvedev a boost - he broke and got back into the match. But he lost 6-3 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 0-6 6-4 and obliterated his racket before briefly sitting on his bench, looking dejected.

Medvedev's behaviour caused a frenzy, and Dauzet has now had her say on the public's response to his outburst.

"I can say that I am surprised and not at the same time. Because he is not the first and only one to do this kind of thing. Tennis is a sport that provokes this kind of overreaction," the psychoanalyst told Tennis Majors.

"Daniil is a bit used to certain mood swings and yes they can be caustic and unwelcome sometimes. His behaviour annoys and also affects the public. We remember John McEnroe, for example, in his time who inspired similar feelings...

"Nevertheless, it seems important to me to clearly distinguish what is being commented on: the match fact about the stoppage, the racket breaking, what he says to the umpire? These are not the same facts. I have the impression that there was an amalgamation and that everything was put on the same level."

Addressing Medvedev's response to the interruption and the umpire's decision, she added: "What Daniil does is not very politically correct, to say the least.

"It is not accepted and perhaps it is not acceptable, especially because many players know how to hold back and contain themselves in the face of the same annoyances. In the same way, we could say this on the part of the public who reacts.

"We therefore see that the exaggerations are present on both sides of the 'stage', one arousing the other and vice versa. But there is no deep malice or intention to harm when this kind of situation happens on the part of the athletes.

"For players with a great liveliness of mind like Daniil, what happens at that moment is both unconscious and conscious, between non-control and control of what is emerging in space-time.

"This interruption of the photographer on the court was at the very least impromptu and gave rise to an extrapolation of perceptions. Which leads to an exaggeration of reactions. And, perhaps, creates the situation in which the player can take advantage of."

The former world No. 1 has not played since, but will be back in action in Hangzhou this week. After parting ways with his long-time coach, Gilles Cervara, Medvedev is now working with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke.

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