OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 10, 2024

Andrey Rublev

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/J. Sinner

6-3, 1-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Obviously you had two great wins today. You played twice. How are you feeling?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I feel great, and yeah, I feel great that I was able to win them that, that I win really great matches. I beat good players, and I was able to win today against Jannik.

For me it's a special moment because I was struggling for many months. So, I guess, yeah, I need that match, you know, to feel that I'm playing well, that I'm able to show good results. So I'm happy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you elaborate when you say you were struggling in the last few months? Exactly what were you talking about?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Mentally (laughing). Mentally I was out of order. I don't know how you can say it. Everything.

I guess it was already long moment of everything, and I start to burn out because I was struggling for many years with depression, with many things outside of the court. I guess this year it's when I couldn't handle it anymore, and it starts to just explode. It start to explode more and more on the court because in life I was able to stay calm, but inside the court I was burning everything.

In the end, yeah, I was struggling. Now last months I feel really good, and straight away tennis is better.

Q. Talking about exploding on the court and being both to be strong mentally, those five break points that you saved at the beginning of the third set, how big was it for you? How proud are you to overcome that situation and come back stronger after and win the third set?

ANDREY RUBLEV: At that moment, I don't know, I was trying to don't think at all. At that moment, I don't know, I was just trying to, yeah, don't think.

Now if I look at from this point right now to look back at that moment, I would say it's a normal process. In a way some matches your opponent will face break points and you will save them. Some matches you will have a lot of break points, you will not make them, and maybe your opponent will have only one break point, and he will make it.

You just never know when it's going to happen what because, for example, in Australia we played with Jannik. First set I had few break points, and I was not able to win them, and he broke me straight away with a first break point.

So this match was a bit opposite. I was able to break him straight away with the first break point, and then he had break points. He didn't make it. Then third set he had many break points.

I was more lucky, and then I had one break point, and I make it. Maybe the other day will be completely opposite match because of this. At this level it's just a little, little one, two points decides everything.

Q. Where would you rate this victory amongst the best of your career?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I don't know about the best. I would say besides the Madrid because the circumstances that I was there with illness and everything. I would say outside of Madrid, that's the best victory so far in this season, yeah.

Q. Were you a bit afraid after the second set because you dominated the first, then he wins the second 6-1?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah.

Q. How did you feel coming into the third set after that set?

ANDREY RUBLEV: To be honest, I was feeling fine. I was thinking, yeah, the first set I was playing well. I was able to dominate him.

Then he had a little chance, and he use it, and he take over me. Then I went toilet just to calm down to don't think too fast because if you think he is No. 1 in the world, why I need to stress? Like, No, he beat me 6-1. It's something that normally should happen that he should beat me.

So if you think from that way, then you automatically become more relaxed. Basically you put him on my position. Let's say if I would be No. 1 and I'm losing to one player who is top 10 but was struggling, I'm losing first set that he is dominating, it feels strange. You know, so probably he was maybe a bit stressed.

Yeah, after the second set I was looking more from this side, and that's why I was feeling quite relaxed. That is normal. Okay, one set I dominate. One set he dominates. So now we have third. We'll see what's going to happen.

Q. Coming into Canada, not many wins. Did you know coming into Canada, your record here not many wins, and if so, how nice is it to have this break-out and beat the World No. 1 in Canada?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I would say, in general, it's nice to be back in semifinal of the Masters, yeah. It doesn't matter the players. Yeah, it's just amazing feeling to be in semifinal, to be back in the semifinal of the 1000 Masters.

Q. Just a word about the fact that you had to play two matches today. Same as Jannik, but do you feel energy-wise -- how are you feeling today, and do you feel you maybe had more energy than him today?

ANDREY RUBLEV: You mean in the match?

Q. Yes.

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, of course, it's never easy to play two matches in one day, but I think we both were fine with that. In a way we understand that this is part of the sport.

We cannot do nothing with that. We cannot control the weather. We cannot control if today is going to be super hot or opposite, super cold or super windy. It's a part of the sport. You have to always play in a bit different conditions even being in the same place.

I guess that's sometimes what makes this sport also special because maybe one day it's extremely hot, and you need to suffer, you need really to, yeah, fight with yourself. Maybe next day is super windy, and then you need to be really mentally ready to find a way even through the wind to play tennis.

You know, it's never the same. From one side if you focus too much, can make you stressed, but if you let it go, it makes this sport even more special. So I think at least myself for sure I was understanding this is part of the sport.

We didn't play yesterday, so what the point to think how physically I am good or not? I was lucky that I played also not long match in the morning, so I was feeling perfect.