BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 19, 2022

Andrey Rublev

Press Conference

T. FRITZ/A. Rublev

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: We will start the press conference. First of all, I know this is not the result you are hoping for, but still overall a positive round for you here at Indian Wells. What did you take away from it?

ANDREY RUBLEV: My hope, experience and lesson, from every situation you can learn, from every situation you can take something that will help you to improve. So hopefully I'm going to use it to improve and hopefully I will use it as fast as possible.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. You've played some remarkable tennis the last five, six weeks, some of the best tennis of your life against a terrible backdrop. Could you talk a little bit about how you work to maintain the focus you've been able to maintain over the last five, six weeks, the focus you've been able to maintain on tennis? Do you have techniques you use?

ANDREY RUBLEV: No, not really. I mean, there's not much secrets because already all the best athletes, doesn't matter from which sport, they already said many things and there's not secrets.

In my case, I don't know. I try to put more focus on tennis to try to take out all the things that can take extra energy or disturb me extra, just to focus only on tennis. And it's getting better and better, so we'll see if I can keep going this way.

Q. I would like to ask about Taylor's game. He's just improving a good deal. What do you sense is getting better and better in his game?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, everything. He have a really good, like I said yesterday, first of all, he have a huge, huge serve, which gives him a lot of advantage.

And on top of that, he have a good strokes from both sides, forehand and backhand. If he stay on the ball and he hit really hard and he hit like really with a good percentage.

And it's tough to play when one player, he have both sides, more or less solid, both sides aggressive, so you need to try to raise your level as well because if you just will push the ball, he will hit winners.

Q. At the end of the first set did you hurt your hand a little bit?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yes, a little bit, but everything is okay.