Andrey Rublev has offered his support to close friend Daniil Medvedev after the former US Open champion had an extraordinary meltdown during his first-round defeat at Flushing Meadows.
Medvedev, who has now lost in the first round of three of the four grand slams this year, was down match point in the third set of his encounter with Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi when a photographer interrupted play by walking on court.
Chair umpire Greg Allensworth offered Bonzi an additional first serve as a result of the interruption, leading Medvedev to explode at the perceived injustice, whipping the crowd into a frenzy and shouting at Allensworth, “Are you a man? He wants to go home guys, he doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”
Nearly seven minutes passed before Bonzi served again and the Frenchman lost the point, with Medvedev rallying to win the set and the next to force a decider. Momentum swung again as Bonzi clung on to win 3-6 5-7 7-6(5) 6-0 4-6, repeating his first-round win over the Russian at Wimbledon.
Medvedev then obliterated his racquet before sitting disconsolately in his chair for several minutes, leading to concerns over his mental state. His form has collapsed this year, having not gone past the second round of a major and falling out of the top 10.
Six-time grand slam champion Boris Becker suggested he needed “professional help”, while Rublev - a close friend of Medvedev and godfather to his children - said his compatriot had a support network to turn to.
“If he wants to change and needs help he has me, a lot of other friends and family that will help him,” the 15th seed said.
“But it’s his life and his decision what he needs to do. Only he knows what is happening.
“I think he needs to take some time because it was a tough loss for him, but I will text him. The year he’s had in the slams has not been easy for him.”
Rublev has been open about working with a psychologist on his mental health, previously describing himself as “completely lost”. The 27-year-old sparked concern with violent, self-destructive outbursts during difficult matches, including repeatedly hitting himself with his racquet to the point of drawing blood in a first-round defeat at Wimbledon last summer.
He turned to former major winner Marat Safin for guidance, and said earlier this year that, “Now I’m moving little by little in this better direction”.
Fellow player Frances Tiafoe also weighed in on Medvedev’s outburst, saying: “It was a circus.
“People don’t understand. You’re travelling a lot. He [Medvedev] holds himself to a super high standard. He’s been struggling, and he’s struggling to face the music, right? He’s struggling to face losing early and to guys he feels like he should be beating, and unprecedented matches, things not going your way.
“Another side comes out, and I hope to see him play to the level he's capable of playing. Obviously it’s been a super tough stretch for him.”
