Andrei Rublev has a reputation as one of the most explosive characters in sports. Photo: AP/Jean-Francois Badias
Russian star Andrey Rublev has lamented his self-destructive behavior after he failed spectacularly to become the first top seed to emerge from the men's draw.
Already famous As one of tennis' leading hotheads, Rublev has reached a boiling point. point with astonishing speed after he missed early chances against Italy's Matteo Arnaldi.
He challenged the chair umpire's decision, bounced his racket off the ground several times and kicked the courtside bench with such force that left the ball with a significant dent.
He also admitted that his mental breakdown had reached such a stage that he “flunked” (tennis lingo for “not trying”) the second set in a 7-6, 6-2, 6-4 defeat.
Rublev's defeat ended an unprecedented winning streak for the big names in Paris. It was the first time that all 15 top seeds had reached the third round of the French Open.
As the sixth seed, Rublev's exit was a surprise, although it must be said that the gifted Arnaldi was only two seeds. The rankings lack the very best spot among the 32 seeded players.
For Andrey Rublev it was an unforgettable day at Roland Garros 😬💥#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/U0ou2C16Ca
— Eurosport (@eurosport) May 31, 2024
“Completely disappointed with myself in the way I behaved, the way I performed,” said a dejected Rublev after the match, “and I don’t remember that I have ever behaved worse in a helmet. The problem in my head is that I'm practically killing myself today.
“The way I carry myself, I completely put myself down and give Matteo wings so he can fly, and he flew in the third set incredibly . It was already too late to do anything.
“I had a lot of opportunities, a lot of chances, [but] I made some stupid mistakes, so basically I'm putting him back in the game. I start the second set completely on emotions.
“Somehow I managed to bounce back, and it looks like I have a little more chance. Then, out of nowhere, I black out again, get emotional, lose my serve, and then I lose it completely and basically lose the second set, but then it's too late because then he starts playing incredible.< /p>
“When you do such things, it is usually difficult to come back.”
Rublev struggled to contain his emotions. check when he slipped and won. Photo: Reuters/Yves Herman
Rublev was controversially disqualified from the Dubai Championships in early March after losing his temper and shouting in the face of a linesman. He later made a successful appeal against this decision, which resulted in the prize money and ranking points he had previously earned from the event being returned to him.
However, this incident seemed to embarrass him because he soon a streak of four straight losses is his worst streak on the ATP regular tour in more than six years. Although he had bounced back strongly by winning the Madrid Open four weeks ago, this latest performance felt like a relapse.
Rublev's tantrums typically involve beating himself up, both physically and mentally. He often hit the strings of his racket against his knuckles with such force that blood flowed. Here, at one stage of the third set, he did the same thing to his knee.
The curious thing is that Rublev is one of the most gentle players off the court. A former boy band member in his native Russia, he admits to having a “depressive” personality and describes himself as a very emotional character.
“I take things very personally when it's something important to me.” me. “Me,” he said last year, “and tennis is obviously everything to me.”
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