By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 23, 2024
Andrey Rublev has had his share of struggles in 2024, but the Russian believes that he can put them behind him as the second half of the season begins in earnest this week at Umag, Croatia, where he is the top seed at the Plava Laguna Croatia Umag Open.
Update: Rublev snapped his four-match losing streak with a straight-sets win over Argentina's Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
Rublev, who enters the main draw on a four-match winning streak, has had a bizarre season that has been marred by temper tantrums, the worst of those earning him a default at Dubai during his semifinal against Alexander Bublik.
That moment seems to be hovering over Rublev like a black cloud this summer. After his disqualification (in February) he has been mired in two four-match losing streaks (the latter ending today in Umag). Even a title this spring in Madrid, his second at the Masters 1000 level, hasn’t enabled him to fully snap out of his self-sabotage mode.
He went to Roland-Garros and drew attention with this tantrum in his third-round loss to Matteo Arnaldi.
Things are starting to turn, however, says Rublev.
“Now after Wimbledon, everything is in order, thank god,” Rublev told Bolshe’s Sofya Tartakova Sofya Tartakova, in a pre-tournament video interview.
Rublev delved into the frustration that he has felt this year, saying that his struggles have been mental: “In the matches It was me who ‘committed suicide’ because of different situations that were going on in my head,” he said. “It was me who catapulted.
“When you have been losing in first-rounds for so long you have no confidence. You play one match then practice for two weeks waiting for the next one. You lose in the first round again and now another two weeks of waiting. It’s a situation I’m not used to – now the rhythm is gone and there is no confidence – you play not just to play but you play not to lose and that’s a path that leads to nowhere.”
Rublev, who is 24-13 on the season overall, says that a meeting of the minds with two-time Grand Slam champion has given him hope that he can put his struggles behind him.
Safin and Rublev have a lot of similarities, as both are, let’s say, excitable.
“I am fixing my head because the problem wasn’t with my game,” Rublev said. “Now, after Wimbledon, everything is in order, there will be a breakthrough soon.”
The 26-year-old World No.9 seems to believe he has turned the corner, with an assist going to Safin.
“We got into contact somehow,” Rublev said of his meeting with the Hall of Famer. “He helped me. He’s great friends with my team, big special thanks to him.
“There was just one long talk – I’m confident now that everything will be alright.”