Nitto ATP Finals
The 'liberal' Rublev adopted the new Turin approach
The 27-year-old is looking at a rollercoaster season and is looking forward to the Zverev tournament.
November 08, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Andrey Rublev has compiled a season record of 42-23.
By ATP staff
Andrey Rublev is no stranger to the year-end Nitto ATP Finals, where he is scheduled to compete for the fifth year in a row. But this season the 27-year-old enters Turin with a new mindset.
Rublev, placed in the John Newcombe Group alongside the gauntlet of Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud, adopts a simple approach and is not burdened by high expectations.
“According to the results, it's one year [in Turin] when I reached the semi-finals [in 2022] it was a good week, some were tough. But I hope I learn something in these years. We will see,” Rublev told ATP Media. “At least I'm trying to do it differently this year. At least I feel more relaxed and that's great.
“In the four times I have played, I only went to the semi-finals once. I lost three times in the group stage. So if I lose three or four times, it doesn't change anything.”
Andrey is a wanted man ❤️
✍️ @AndreyRublev97 #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/cSDEJkeevT
– ATP Tour (@atptour) November 8, 2024
Rublev started the season with a bang, winning the Hong Kong title in the first week and extending his winning streak to eight before reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Boasting a season record of 42-23, Rublev claimed his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Madrid, a feat he called “the proudest title of my career”.
Rublev entered Madrid on a four-match skid, but that didn't stop him from playing the best tennis of his life, even in the face of illness. He dismissed local hero Alcaraz on the way to the title and in retrospect, that week is perhaps the epitome of Rublev's 2024 season as a whole.
“It was a rollercoaster. Some amazing moments, some difficult and bad situations,” said Rublev when he reflected on his season. “But I have been able to succeed [to the Nitto ATP Finals]. I need to face the facts. It didn't matter what negative thoughts I was giving myself about this season – that the season might not be that good, or that it might be the worst season of my career, or whatever – but I actually managed to make it here.
“And to be here you need to have a really good season. I wish all my bad times ended like this, where I am. There are many players who had an amazing season, beating amazing players, but they haven't made it.”
Rublev will begin his campaign on Monday against Paris champion Zverev, who leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 6-3. The German won the first five tournaments before Rublev made it three in a row in 2023. They haven't met since last year in Turin, where Zverev won 6-4, 6-4.
“It's always difficult to play with Sascha. First, the way he worships. You have one of the best performers on the Tour with a very high percentage,” said Rublev. “I have a long history with Sascha. He beat me many times over the years, I beat him a few times last year. It will be fun. It will be a big challenge for me.”
