“I’ve had a lot of warnings to be more calm” – Rublev reaping rewards of lessons learnt from past outbursts
The Russian has been trying to apply a calmer approach to his matches in Madrid this week, to evidently good success
Andrey Rublev, Madrid Open, 2024 Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic
Andrey Rublev‘s run to the final of this year’s Madrid Open is highly notable for two reasons.
Firstly, and most strikingly, it is quite remarkable how rapidly and effectively Rublev has transformed his recent form.
Coming into the tournament, the Russian was on a four-match losing streak and had lost five of his last six matches.
A little over a week later, Rublev stands on the brink of winning his second Masters 1000 title and his first in Madrid, having rediscovered the best of his blistering attacking game on the Spanish clay.
But the world No 8’s unexpected run to the final has also been eye-catching for his more serene on-court demeanour.
While Rublev has still shown flashes of frustration in Madrid, with the odd risk of slipping into one of his trademark meltdowns, there have been far fewer anguish-ridden outbursts than usual and the almost masochistic relationship he sometimes has with himself on court has felt calmer and less self-critical.
What is most intriguing about all of this is how the source of his previous dip in form is inextricably linked with the solution to lifting himself out of it.
It was after Rublev was controversially defaulted from the Dubai Tennis Championships for yelling in the face of a linesman that he began his malaise.
Over the course of his next six matches, Rublev won only once.
That is, until his arrival in Madrid, where the Russian is using the memory of the incident in Dubai to help cut a more placid and philosophical figure on court.
“I had many, many, how you say, warnings in life already that show me that I need to be more calm,” Rublev explained in his post-match press conference following victory over Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals.
“It was not only with Dubai but was in general many times that I was close to doing something not good, and I was lucky that everything went well.
“I had a lot of warnings already to be more calm, so I don’t know. I would like to think that it’s more that I’m improving, and not only because of the ‘warnings.’
“I would like to believe that it’s me who is the one who is improving. Doesn’t matter the situations that I had.”
It is testament to Rublev’s highly commendable character that the reasons behind his default in Dubai led to a period of soul-searching.
Indeed, the whole episode could ultimately end up greatly benefitting his tennis if Rublev can continue to apply these lessons and maintain a sense of on-court calm.
new-found composure crucial for rublev in the final
One thing is certain, he will need all of that composure if he is to lift a second Masters 1000 title against Felix Auger-Aliassime on Sunday.
The Canadian is well rested after, remarkably, receiving three walkovers en route to the final. In the matches that he has played, Auger-Aliassime has looked sharp.
“All our matches that we played was always drama, always three-sets matches,” Rublev said of his upcoming opponent.
“Very close. The last one we played Rotterdam, I don’t know how many match points I saved.”
Win or lose on Sunday, if Rublev can keep his sometimes over-bubbling emotions in check in the heat of one of the biggest matches of his career, it will stand him in great stead to achieve more great success in the future.
Given the form and mindset he was in prior to the Madrid Open, an appearance in the final is – in itself – an excellent achievement.
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