DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 24, 2022

Andrey Rublev

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/M. McCormick

2-6, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You started this week by saying that winning your first match was a present after you got here so late. You didn't do yourself any favors with three sets today. How do you feel now?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I feel completely tired, to be honest. I'm happy I was still able to win a match today. But I feel really, really tired. We'll see.

Hopefully now I finished today a bit earlier. I mean, first of all, I played even earlier today so was even more hotter than yesterday, so was even tougher. Also in the same time I finish earlier. Hopefully it will give me more time to recover.

Plus tomorrow I guess I'm going to play in afternoon. It's a bit better, more easy to play when the sun goes down. We'll see what's going to happen.

Q. You've spoken to us about how you can get emotional on court.

ANDREY RUBLEV: So probably you saw today (laughter)?

Q. We've also seen recently how Zverev reacted. As a player, as an athlete, how difficult is it to keep your emotions in check?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I think it's everything personal for everyone. For someone like me, for me the toughest part is emotions. For some players maybe tougher thing to play more aggressive, for maybe other players opposite, to play more defense because they don't really know how to play defense. Every person have different weakness that is tougher to change. In my case is the emotions.

Of course, for me it's much easier to control them when I'm fresh, when I'm feeling good, I don't know, in confidence, I have confidence, then I control them better. Of course, when I'm tired, exhausted like now, not really energy, my brain is not working the same way. Of course, it's tough to control emotions.

But in the end at least today only happen first set that I was showing them, then I was able to after the first set go to the bathroom, to take a breathe, to change completely my behavior and my game.

Q. Is there something you say to yourself to push yourself?

ANDREY RUBLEV: No, nothing. Just, Shut up and play tennis, stop to cry (smiling).

Q. I saw your Instagram post earlier.

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah.

Q. I wonder when you wake up to news like this, you have to step on a court after, how does it make you feel? Is it difficult to focus on tennis given the circumstances?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I think it's more about that like let's say nothing is important that much as to have a peace and everyone healthy. In these moments I think you understand that doesn't matter how bad day you have something, the most important thing is to have, let's say, clear sky and to be healthy. This is the most important thing besides all the sports, beside everything. In these moments you realize it better, you know?

Q. Obviously you're not responsible for what your government does in the world.

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah.

Q. But I'm wondering, is it difficult being a Russian athlete at the moment? Did it distract you a little bit today preparing for the match?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Of course, I mean, I get some bad comments on Internet because I am Russian, so I get some aggressive comments like not in a good way. I mean, I cannot react on them because if I react on them, I'm going to show the same.

If I want to have peace, I need to be like doesn't matter. Even if they throw rocks to me, I need to show I'm for the peace, I'm not here to be aggressive or something, even if I'm not responsible for something.

If they did something bad comment to me, to answer the same way, to answer the same way. I think this is the right way to do at least for me. I don't know how for other persons.

Q. So today the fact that you woke up to your country invading your doubles partner's country, does that affect you at all?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I said in these moments you realize that my match is not important. It's not about my match, how is affect me. What's happening is much more terrible.

Like I said, you realize how important is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united. It's about that we should be take care of our earth and of each other. This is the most important thing.

Q. Can you talk about your potential semifinal opponents separately.

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I lost to both of them, that's how I can say (smiling). Both of them quite easy twice. No, Sinner I lost once, Hurkacz I lost twice. It will be interesting for me.

In the situation I am right now, completely tired, last times I lost against them, I have nothing to lose. I will try to go for it and we'll see what's going to happen.