US OPEN

September 7, 2020

Andrey Rublev

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/M. Berrettini

4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you remember most about you and Daniil as players and personalities when you were juniors?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Both of us were crazy on court (laughter). Destroying the racquets, complaining...

Yeah, what I remember from him, he was always one of the biggest fighter that I ever saw in my life since he was, I don't know, seven years old. He could play lobs maybe hours just to win. I don't know. I remember we had few battles when we were completely kids, so yeah.

Q. A few years ago you made the quarterfinals of the US Open. You were still a teenager. How much of a better player are you now?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I hope and I wish that, yeah, I'm a better player, that I have a better mentality, that physically for sure I'm better, game-wise as well. Yeah, for sure I improve a lot in last three years. I'm really happy that I reach my second quarterfinal here at the US Open.

Q. You ended the match with an intense 'vamos'. Was it the loudest you've ever used on court? Do you like this because is represents a more competitive version of yourself, a new Rublev?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Especially the word 'vamos' comes more because my team, almost all of them are from Spain. Every time they support me, they say 'vamos.' Automatically I start to say the same. It's nothing special.

Yeah, in the end of the match I scream all my emotions that I was keeping during the match. But, no, it's not the loudest because I did it few times already with the crowd. I mean, without crowd for sure is the loudest one. With a crowd, when everyone is cheering, maybe it's not that loud. I was also screaming hard.

Q. You didn't make me happy because I was supporting Berrettini (laughter). I'd like to know, last year you lost to him. When tonight you lost the first set, what were you thinking? How were you able to change the match?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I remember last year he start to play really well. He was hitting the ball hard. He was dictating. Last year instead of to accept it, I was complaining, I was nervous. I was thinking that he's playing so good, why I cannot play the same.

When I realized that instead of to think these things, instead of this I just need to play. It was already when I was two sets to zero. Matteo was even more confident, feeling even more better. In the end we had one I think good set of great level. 7-6 he won the third.

Today he started really well. He was aggressive. He was the one who was dictating in the first set. Then when I lost the first set, I just say to myself to keep fighting. If he's better today, he's better today. Keep fighting for every ball.

In end I had little chance. I broke him somehow. I turn it all the way around. I start to play better. Matteo start to feel I think little bit tight. Yeah, like normal match.

Q. Against Medvedev, I saw you lost twice in pro tournaments. Were you beating him sometimes when you were seven years old, 10 or 15 years old?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I think when we were completely kids, like seven or eight years old, I won. Even I think at that time it was not even a real tournament. It was just maybe club matches, like weekend matches.

But, yeah, when we play already official matches, I think all of them he won. I don't know if we played juniors. I don't remember. But, yeah, the pro he won twice. We'll see. It's going to be interesting.

Q. What are your memories of visiting Times Square with Daniil after losing in 2013 and having Jelena Ostapenko with you?

ANDREY RUBLEV: It was nice memory. I don't remember if we had dinner together, but for sure we went for a walk all together from Times Square. I think it was already more than 10 p.m., all the shops were closed. We decided to go to Central Park. It was not good idea because as soon as we arrive there, some guys were, like, behind the trees trying to follow us. As soon as we saw it, we went back to the hotel (smiling).

I mean, that's what I remember. But it was fun.