US OPEN

September 9, 2020

Andrey Rublev

Press Conference

D. MEDVEDEV/A. Rublev

7-6, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I wonder what went through your mind at the end of the first set? I saw you smashing a racquet and everything. Everybody would have been terribly angry because you were up, as you know, 5-1, 6-3 and everything. How difficult was it to end that situation?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yes, everybody but not the top players. That's the difference between me and the top players, that they would not show (indiscernible).

But, yeah, I had good chances in the first set, and Daniil played well there. I missed a little bit out at 6-5, but it's part of the sport. It's a game.

But, yeah. But for sure top players they will not do the things that I did after the set.

Q. Daniil has had a lot of success with his serve throughout the tournament. I'm wondering from your perspective, is it something particular about his serve itself or more what he does once the ball is in play?

ANDREY RUBLEV: No, in general he have really good serve. He serve any direction he want, and he feel all of them really well.

I mean, he's quite high. It's normal that he have a good serve. I mean, but even me, I was maybe not serving, especially first two sets, I was not serving like normally I do. Still was only one break. The previous matches maybe I would serve much better but was more breaks. So it was not about the serve.

Q. I'm sure it's disappointing right after the match, but I guess what are your takeaways from this tournament in general?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, of course I'm really disappointed, but what I can say? Of course I'm grateful and I'm thankful for amazing tournament, that I win great matches, that I did quarters for second time of my life.

Of course I'm thankful for this a lot, and so time to learn and to improve for the next tournaments.

Q. I'm wondering, I know you were arguing a bit with the umpire. He thought that you swore in Russian and you said that you were screaming?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, but, I mean, this is typical moments. I mean, I don't think that you can suddenly understand when you scream full power. I mean, it was his decision. I don't know.

Q. Just going back to what you were saying about Daniil's serve, more generally, when you were growing up with him, was his serve always a weapon?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yes, I think more or less always, because he was quite tall since he was 14 years old. So of course compare to the guys who was normal height, you can see that he serves better than the others. And this is normal.

He was just keeping -- I mean, like all the high players, all of them have good serves.

Q. Now that you're going to Europe, usually you're thinking about going indoors or going to China, that sort of thing. How is it going to be, do you think, going to clay? Or you're not even going to think about it until you go over there?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, normal, we knew the schedule since beginning. We knew that after US Open is going to be clay, so mentally I was already -- I was not even thinking that, Oh, no, last year at this time we were indoors.

So I was completely fine that now I will play on clay. So I will fly tomorrow back to Europe.