Andrey Rublev has a great sense of humor off the pitch with a relentless intensity on it, helping him connect with fans around the world.
The semifinalist at last season’s ATP Finals is enjoying his tennis at the moment and feels more confident about his chances at the 2023 edition of the season-ending tournament.
The world number 5 has had quite an impressive 2023 season so far and consistency has been a strength for him. He reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open. In the last two Masters 1000 tournaments this season, he qualified for the final in Shanghai and the semifinals in Paris. But the tennis player’s standout achievement this season was winning the first Masters title of his career in Monte Carlo.
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Although he won in Monte Carlo last April, he believes that he is playing at a higher level this time.
“Game-wise, I am playing more and better now than in Monte Carlo. “I enjoy the way I play and the matches I win in the last few months,” said Rublev.
“You can’t compare it to the first half of the season because I won the Masters in the first half of the season. If I win in Shanghai, then definitely Shangkai will be my standout achievement.”
At the ATP Finals this season, the world number 5 tennis player was drawn into the Red Group along with Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.
Asked about Zverev, Rublev described the German as “a player you don’t want to face. The way he serves, the way he plays. You have to be very focus, because if you’re not, then he’ll hit an ace, a big return, and it’s game over.”
Meanwhile, he has never faced Alcaraz in a professional match. He was also asked to comment on what he saw in the mentality of Spanish tennis players.
“He knows everything and ran amazingly. Alcaraz shoots backhand, forehand, dropshot, volley, serve, and mental part. He struggled. He is truly a complete tennis player at a very young age. To have a chance against him, you have to play at a really good level,” commented Rublev about Alcaraz.
The fifth seed will start the group phase of the ATP Finals by facing his compatriot, Daniil Medvedev and he is trailing with 2-6 in their head to head.
“Competing against Daniil, he kills you slowly. Buy some time. “Enjoy the moment and you feel you are helpless, little by little,” said Andrey Rublev.
