Daniil Medvedev’s Psychologist ‘Surprised’ After His ‘Overaction’ During US Open Match

World No.18 Daniil Medvedev will be bidding to end his title drought at the Hangzhou Open next.

Daniil Medvedev’s Psychologist ‘Surprised’ After His ‘Overaction’ During US Open Match

Daniil Medvedev (Image via X/TENNISCentel)

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Daniil Medvedev made headlines all over the world during the first week of the 2025 US Open. In the first match itself, he struggled to perform and eventually lost, but not before causing a lot of drama.

Medvedev was on the brink of elimination in straight sets as his opponent, Benjamin Bonzi, was serving for the match when a photographer walked onto the court to change his position. Bonzi was given another first-serve opportunity, much to Medvedev’s annoyance. What followed next completely turned the tables in favor of the Russian.

He argued with the chair umpire and asked the crowd to boo him (which they did for nearly six minutes). This interruption broke Bonzi’s momentum, and he lost the third as well as the next set 6-0, but he eventually won after clinching the fifth one.

After the defeat, Medvedev banged his racket multiple times and destroyed it. Later, he was slapped with a $42,500 fine by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Medvedev, before the Halle Open, started to work with psychologist Francisca Dauzet, who, during an interview with Tennis Majors, defended him and revealed whether his conduct surprised her.

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. Daniil is a bit used to certain mood swings, and yes, they can be caustic and unwelcome sometimes. His behavior annoys and also affects the public.

Last month, Medvedev split with his coach of eight years, Gilles Cervara. At present, he is gearing up for the Hangzhou Open, where the second seed will play his first match on September 19 against the winner of the first-round match between Marin Cilic and a qualifier.

After Hangzhou, Medvedev will participate in the China Open, which is scheduled to start on September 24. Medvedev will next play the Shanghai Masters.

Daniil Medvedev’s psychologist on fans’ reactions

Daniil Medvedev‘s psychologist, Francisca Dauzet, pointed out that being a high-profile athlete doesn’t mean one only needs to be technically good; that for some, tennis is a profession, while for some, it’s a quest. She feels that playing with “no heart, no soul, no aspirations” only dehumanizes the players.

Daniil Medvedev (3)
Daniil Medvedev (Image via X/Meddy Family)

Doesn’t the public come to see the opposite of that? They come to see athletes writing a story. And when people in the audience say “Go Daniil, you’re right”, or “Daniil, stop your circus”, or “[Jannik] Sinner is annoying for not showing emotion”, or what do I know, it’s because they put something of themselves into it in terms of emotions and representations.

Francisca Dauzet told Tennis Majors

Medvedev reached the second round of a Grand Slam event only at the Australian Open this year, crashing out in the first rounds of the rest of the three Majors. He produced his best when he reached the final of the Halle Open, where Alexander Bublik denied him his first title since the 2023 Italian Open.

The 2021 US Open champion has featured in six finals since the 2023 Italian Open, including at the 2023 US Open and last year’s Australian Open, losing those matches to Novak Djokovic and Sinner. Because of his massive slump in form, the 29-year-old, once a former World No.1, dropped out of the top 10. He now stands in the 18th spot, and another poor campaign would see him outside of the top 20.

Last year, Medvedev only played two finals. The last time he won multiple titles in a season was in 2023, as he reached nine finals and clinched five titles.

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