Andrey Rublev’s recent resurgence on the ATP Tour has been a welcome sight for tennis fans, but the Russian has revealed that his on-court struggles have been a manifestation of deep-seated mental health issues.
After claiming his second Top 5 win of the year over Jannik Sinner at the Omnium Banque National, Rublev opened up about his battles with burnout and depression, which have plagued him for years.
“Mentally I was out of order,” Rublev admitted. “I guess it was already a long moment of everything (building up) and I started to burn out, because I was struggling for many years with depression, with many things outside of the court.”
Rublev’s on-court behavior has often been erratic, with racquet-smashing meltdowns and a default in Dubai earlier this year. However, he believes that his struggles have reached a boiling point this season.
“It started 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.”
After skipping the Olympics to focus on his mental health, Rublev sought guidance from compatriot Marat Safin, who also struggled with emotional outbursts during his career.
“I was struggling, now (in the) last months I feel really good, and straightaway the tennis is better,” Rublev explained.
Rublev’s improved mental state has translated into positive results on the court. He has won eight of his last 10 matches, including a victory over world No. 1 Sinner and a comfortable win over Matteo Arnaldi to reach the final in Montreal.
The Russian is now the first player to reach more than one ATP Masters 1000 final this year and will face either Sebastian Korda or Alexei Popyrin in the championship match.
Rublev’s journey to recovery is a reminder that mental health issues can affect anyone, even elite athletes. His openness about his struggles is a testament to his courage and determination to overcome adversity.
