NITTO ATP FINALS

November 11, 2024

Andrey Rublev

Inalpi Arena,Torino

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/A. Rublev

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Andrey, tough match against a very tough opponent. Is there anything you could have done differently today?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Not much, I would say. I mean, I wish to don't do few mistakes that I did against where he broke me. But we cannot control mistakes. It's part of the sport. But the rest, not much.

I mean, he played unbelievable match. The way he was serving, it's not much you can do. Now he have at least from all the players that I play this year, his serve is the best so far.

I don't know. He's really on a high confidence and he played really well match. Not much to say. I think I did a great effort, yeah. But today he was better than me.

THE MODERATOR: First question.

Q. They said that this surface was a little slower than the one in Paris, maybe also last year here. What do you think? Zverev served pretty well. He lost only 10 points in 10 games of serve against you. What was the really key? His serve only? Your return was not the best?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, I don't know how was the court in Paris because I didn't play on center court. If we compare this court with the last year, it's a bit slower, but not much. It's still quite fast.

I mean, not many rallies you can see happening. Maybe one rally per two games. The rest is one, two shots, serve, ace, ace.

No, his serve. He served wide 220 on the deuce side. Normally everybody serve slice and it's 190. He find a way to serve 220 wide on the deuce side. It's not easy.

Even if you catch the direction, when the flat serve comes 227, slice serve comes 219, 215, it's tough to just see the ball.

Q. A few of the other players have said they think in order to keep up with or get to the level of where Carlos and Jannik are that they have to be more aggressive. What do you think you have to do in order to get to that level?

ANDREY RUBLEV: We'll see. I mean, many things (smiling). Many things I need to do to get to that level.

I'm trying. I'm getting better. Today I think was a great example that I can have a great mindset and play good tennis. Then there is the details like serve, return, some approaches, game at the net, stuff like that, that it takes time. But we're doing that, so...

It just will take time, a bit. I cannot improve it tomorrow. I wish (smiling).

Q. Yesterday Daniil spoke about some of the struggles he was having with some balls on tour. Do you have a favorite ball that you played this season? Do you wish they would make the ball more similar over the course of the season?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I don't know, to be honest, because I think in general, when I was starting to play, I don't know if the courts change a lot or the balls, but something changed. Maybe both, I don't know. It changed that much that I don't really care anymore because doesn't matter which balls you play, it's tough to control them. You feel you do more or less the same shots and the ball fly different.

Like when I was starting, it was like you could feel the tactic, you could feel you need to play like that, like this, you need to choose the right directions. Now with tennis that we have it's two shots, one serve, one shot. Maybe in some important moments, if both players get tight, there is a bit of rally. Most of the matches is just two shots.

Even if you have tactic, is not working anymore because you go play against a player like Sascha, serve like 220, then next shot he play other side. Doesn't matter the tactic you choose, you're not able to do it.

When I was starting, I don't know if it was the balls or something, but I remember in the past there was really many good balls. The feeling was like more you accelerate, more control you have. Now you feel sometimes the more you accelerate, the ball can go amazing, the next ball can go five meters south. It happens to every player. I guess that's why many of them complain.