Rublev: "I have improved on an emotional level, but I still have much to learn"

Player with a strong character without a doubt. Andrey Rublev finishes the week at ATP Montreal 2024 without a title, but with a very clear lesson. After pushing himself to the limit on the court several times, the Russian finally feels that he has improved in this aspect, although he clearly still has things to work on. Despite showing his frustration in the Canadian final, Andrey leaves Montreal happy with his week and with notable improvements in his mental game.

Has he improved in managing his emotions?

"It's been a very good and positive week, a big step forward. I'm very proud of myself for being so strong mentally throughout the week, even today in the final. Compared to a couple of months ago in Monte Carlo, when I was losing, my behavior was ten times worse, and that was just the first round. Here it was the final, much more pressure. Yes, I still showed some emotions today, but compared to other times, I have improved a lot. That's why I had a small chance in the second set, but it wasn't my moment, I wasn't ready to seize it," Rublev explained to the media.

"I started well in all the matches and then suddenly made two errors, two double faults. It's okay, it's normal, something that can happen in a final when you're nervous, but these were two very simple mistakes. Then you see your opponent playing at a high level, and if you don't start raising your game, you'll be done very quickly."

Lack of confidence

"I couldn't control myself, it didn't matter if I was the favorite or not. It was the fact that I felt I had been playing well, that I deserved to go far throughout the week, and then I ruined it myself. It's a confidence issue, an emotional issue. I think I have notably improved emotionally, but I still have to learn from these things. I know the lesson I take from this match to move forward. This week, nobody expected me to reach the final, and we did it. I am back in a good place in terms of ranking. I want to focus on continuing to improve on all those mistakes. I prefer to lose a final every week than play a final every so often."

What made the difference in the Montreal final?

"Alexei played incredible tennis. I didn't serve well, didn't start in the best way, which makes you think about a lot of things. He gained confidence, played really well in crucial moments. When I managed to calm down and just play tennis, I managed to get the break back. That's when I had my chances. I made errors, and he broke me right away. The difference with the top players is that when they are struggling, they capitalize on their opportunities. I couldn't do that, it's as simple as that."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rublev: "He mejorado a nivel emocional, pero aún tengo mucho que aprender"