Controversial tennis star Nick Kyrgios' Shanghai meltdown sparked worldwide condemnation, but a leading sports psychologist says it's just part of being a "rollercoaster athlete".
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Kyrgios apologised on social media for a bizarre effort in China just days after claiming his first ATP 500 title in Tokyo.
The world No.14 appeared uninterested at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday night, lobbing a soft serve over the net in the first set and walking off the court before opponent Mischa Zverev had hit his return.
It was a stark contrast to the impressive play Kyrgios delivered in Tokyo, where he won his third title of the year and stormed to a career-high ranking.
But Jeff Bond, a former AIS psychologist of 22 years who has worked with Pat Cash and Olympic Games champions, says the ups and downs of Kyrgios' career aren't all bad.
In fact, Bond says some athletes can use that rollercoaster to channel it into becoming a champion.
"At the end of the day, we think elite athletes are at the top end of the scale when it comes to self-confidence and belief," Bond said.
"Nick gives you that belief when he's strutting around and he's got the bling. But sometimes athletes are compensating for a lack of confidence.
"Sometimes they claw their way up but can't sustain it and drop into the pit like the rollercoaster.
"It goes back to the core self belief ... but that rollercoaster can make a champion. Compensating for deficiency you think you might have creates a lot of energy.
"A lot of rollercoaster athletes perform to prove they can be good. It drives them."
Kyrgios had been making major inroads to changing the public's perception of him by focusing his energy into winning matches.
He even earned praise less than two weeks ago for throwing a bottle of water into the stands in Tokyo for a fan struggling with the heat.
He has won three titles this year in Tokyo, Marseilles and Atlanta and has avoided controversy since withdrawing from the Rio Olympics.
But his on-court flop against Zverev brought to the surface everything that frustrates fans about Kyrgios.
Kyrgios hit out at his critics in his post-match press conference, saying: "You want to buy a ticket, come and watch me? You know I'm unpredictable ... I don't owe you anything."
He later apologised with a message on Twitter, saying: "Not good enough today on many levels, I'm better than that. I can go on about excuses but there are non. Sorry #StillAWorkInProgress."
Kyrgios appeared to be on a surge towards the world's top 10 when he beat the field in Tokyo.
He hired strength and conditioning expert Martin Skinner after injuries forced him to withdraw from the US Open and said it was an "eye-opener".
The 21-year-old is the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to win three titles in one season and has already jumped from No.30 to No.14 in the rankings.
"You can't just pick up a phone, find some guru and have them come in and sort things out straight away," said Bond, who worked with Cash in the lead-up to his 1987 Wimbledon triumph.
"It's almost a paradox. The rollercoaster athlete, no matter what sport they're in, I reckon they need ongoing pairing up with [a psychologist] who's there all the time to be of any benefit.
"Tennis is such a mental game. The whole circus is a mental game, not just being out there with a racquet in your hand.
"The rollercoaster athletes don't go out to win every tournament, they can't sustain that. They pick the ones they really want to have a crack at. You need someone through the highs and lows."
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