"Andrey Rublev needs help";"His volatility is disturbing" - Fans appalled by Russian's "self harm" in US Open 4R loss to Grigor Dimitrov

Andrey Rublev lost his cool on the court yet again and proceeded to take his frustrations out on himself during his fourth-round loss to Grigor Dimitrov at the ongoing 2024 US Open. The Russian's actions led to him bleeding and later seeking treatment courtside. Fans, unsurprisingly, reacted to the World No. 6's outburst, suggesting that it's time for him to seek professional help.

Rublev and Dimitrov, the No. 6 and No. 9 seeds, respectively, in the 2024 US Open men's singles draw, took to the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, September 1, for contesting their fourth-round match. The Russian and the Bulgarian produced a five-set epic, with Dimitrov ultimately coming out on top with a 6-3, 7-6(3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 win.

However, early on in the match, Rublev stirred controversy when he hit himself repeatedly with his racket, first his left foot and then his left hand, after smashing a forehand into the net. At the time, Dimitrov was serving while leading 3-1 in the first set, and the Russian's forehand helped the Bulgarian to an advantage. Dimitrov would go on to capitalize on it and establish a 4-1 lead.

A temporary pause in play followed, as Rublev's left hand started bleeding and the Russian needed treatment before he could continue playing.

Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were in dismay, especially after having seen Rublev engage in such self-harm on multiple occasions this year. Many suggested that the Russian needs counseling to manage his anger.

"PLEASE LEAVE THE TOUR FOR MENTAL HEALTH BREAK, so sick of seeing this self harm every month, Does anyone actually care about this guy? He needs help, he needs a break," a fan wrote.

"I refuse to watch Rublev play because his volatility and self harming is disturbing," commented another fan.

"He’s a psycho. Needs help," another chimed in.

Others criticized Rublev, with one fan opining that such actions of self-harm have no place on a tennis court.

"That shouldn't be allowed," wrote one fan.

"Hope he loses swiftly so the fans including children watching the game can be spared from this self harm," another fan added.

"Absolute basket case moron. Throwing away a career, all that hard work, while decimating his persona because he is a mental midget," stated another.

"Incoming post-match social media post: “I’m disappointed in my behavior, and I will strive to do better."," yet another fan weighed in sarcastically, referring to Rublev expressing disappointment earlier this year over a similar outburst during his third-round loss at the French Open.

"I’m sure he regrets doing that… it’s definitely not helping him win. Emotional control is a key part to success in anything you do" one fan added.

So far this season, Rublev has won two ATP Tour-level titles, but on the Grand Slam stage, his performances have dipped considerably compared to his Major outings in 2023.

Andrey Rublev's best Major finish this year came at the Australian Open

Andrey Rublev in action at the 2024 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Rublev's first Major outing of the ongoing season came at the Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. It marked the Russian's tenth Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance. Before arriving in Melbourne, Rublev had clinched the title at the Hong Kong Tennis Open, an ATP 250 event.

The Russian's next big achievement in 2024 was his Madrid Open title triumph, which marked his second ATP Masters 1000 title. On his way to the final in Madrid, he had defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz.

However, across the next two Majors, Rublev's results were disappointing. His French Open campaign ended in the third round after he was upset by Matteo Arnaldi. At the Wimbledon Championships, the 26-year-old suffered a first-round loss to Grand Slam debutant Francisco Comesana.