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QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

January 11, 2020

Andrey Rublev

Doha, Qatar

A. RUBLEV/C. Moutet

6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Congratulations for this amazing week you've had here in Doha. How does it feel to start the year and the season with the trophy?
ANDREY RUBLEV: Thank you so much. It's my first experience at the start of a season with the trophy, and it's amazing feeling.

And I don't know what to say because like I said already many times, I always enjoy myself here. I always enjoy to be here, to play here, to practice here. The conditions are always -- I don't know.

I just always was waiting for the time to come back to start the season here because the organization always was so good. They were always doing everything for the players. So always amazing preparation for the Australian Open.

And now even I win a title, so it's double amazing. And I don't know. For the moment, I'm really happy.

Q. At the start of the week you said you wanted to work on your mental strength in 2020. You've already started pretty well today. You got broken back but you were calm. How do you feel about the mental strength?
ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I feel that the match was really close. Because what happened in the second set could happen also in the first set, and I was feeling it since the beginning. So I was trying to -- I don't know -- trying to win every game, but in the end was tough.

And in the end, the moment when I was little bit more tight, he played really well, and he broke me back and he went back in the game. And I showed little bit emotions (smiling). I could be -- I could behave better. I start to show little bit emotions.

But in the end, I always keep fighting, keep fighting. And in the end, I could finish the match, and I'm really happy about it.

Q. What will be success for you in the Australian Open?
ANDREY RUBLEV: I don't know what to say. I don't expect nothing. I'm not waiting for nothing. I just want to go there. If I lose there first round and I did my best, I behave ten points, I will be happy.

So in the end, it's not about me. If I do my best there every match and I will behave every match well, we'll see how far I can go. First round is first round; second, second; third, third, and we'll see.

But at least I would like -- for sure the main goal is to behave well and to fight every point.

Q. Did you watch Serbia/Russia in ATP Cup?
ANDREY RUBLEV: No, because they play when I was sleeping. But I know the results that Serbia won both singles, so Serbia against Spain in the final.

Q. What is your comment?
ANDREY RUBLEV: Well, I didn't watch, so it's tough to say something, but the score for the both matches was tough. And I heard that the match, Medvedev and Djokovic, was really, really tough, really good. Like, the people really enjoyed, and it was for both of them was really close.

So I think for sure people in Australia enjoy it, friends of Serbia enjoy it, friends of Russia enjoy it, and this is the main thing. It's the best when -- doesn't matter who win, but the best when people enjoy watching this. This is what we are working for.

Q. So back to the behaving badly. Your opponent had a bit of a meltdown a couple times. What goes through your mind when you see him acting like that?
ANDREY RUBLEV: To be honest, I don't know. First of all, I can say I understand him because I am still the same. So for sure I know what he feel inside, and that's why I understand him.

It's not like -- I don't know. I'm not judging him, you know? It's not like I'm getting mad or I'm saying, Oh, this is something that the player of tennis, he cannot do, because I'm the same.

So in the end, I understand him perfect, and so basically I don't think nothing. I just think that I understand him, you know, the way he shows emotion or something like that.

Q. Congratulations. I just want to know what you think of Corentin and his potential.
ANDREY RUBLEV: As I said already on the court, I know him. I think first time I saw him was under 16 Junior Davis Cup. And even at that moment, I already knew that he is so talented, that he have amazing touch.

And now we can see that he have really big potential, that he's so talented. He's so fast. He's feeling the ball amazing. He changing the rhythm so good. So I think for sure he will have great future. I mean, of course there's so many things that will change.

But for sure if he will focus, if he work hard, he will have great future.

Q. So you lost in the final here in 2018. Did you think about that going in and does it feel a thousand times better having the Falcon?
ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, to be honest, I was not really thinking before the match about it. I know that I lost two years ago, and I was thinking, Okay, we'll see. I will do my best. If my opponent is better today, the only thing I can do is accept. If I will be better, then it's amazing.

So in the end, I win and it's amazing (laughing). That's all I can say.

But now, I mean, tomorrow I have to fly already for the next tournament, and I'll have to be ready to compete again. So we'll see.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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