2024 has been a rollercoaster for Andrey Rublev. The world number eight has experienced a season filled with highs—victories in Hong Kong and Madrid—but also significant lows. His disqualification from the Dubai tournament set a troubling precedent for the Russian’s on-court demeanor, which persisted throughout the year, culminating in his admission of suffering from depression. During the pre-season preparation for 2025, his coach Fernando Vicente spoke to the Russian outlet Championat about his star pupil.
The Spanish coach first highlighted Rublev’s commitment to continuous improvement. “Andrey only took a week off. He wants to train every day. Whenever I try to plan something with my family, he says: ‘No, no, we train tomorrow.’ After a week of pre-season training in Barcelona, we will head to Dubai. We will work on enhancing his game, although time is always limited in tennis. We know that Andrey still lacks certain skills,” he stated.
One area in need of improvement is undoubtedly the mental aspect, something Fernando is well aware of after nine years working closely with the Russian. “I understand the Russian mentality. They are rarely satisfied with what they have achieved and, often, they are sad. I ask Marat Safin to explain many of these matters to Andrey,” admitted the Spaniard, who turns to the former world number one for assistance in Rublev’s development.
For Rublev, it is easier to acknowledge that a player like Safin faced similar issues to his own.
Fernando Vicente, Andrey Rublev’s coach
Although Safin does not have the time to join the team, as Fernando himself acknowledges, he regularly calls the world number eight for advice during tournaments. “Marat often comes to our camp; we constantly discuss why Rublev behaves this way, as Marat was similar on the court. They talk a lot about life and family. For Rublev, it is easier to realize that a player like Safin had similar challenges to his own,” he confessed.
Throughout the season, the Russian player has had numerous concerning moments on the court, such as a disqualification and various instances where he struck himself with his racket. However, they have been working to prevent such occurrences from happening again. “We now have an American guy who has been working with Andrey since Cincinnati. He is trying to teach him how to manage himself between points and during changes of ends… By the end of the season, it started to bear fruit.”
On his on-court behavior this year, I would rate it a four out of ten.
Fernando Vicente, Andrey Rublev’s coach
Fans of the sport want to see the best version of Rublev return for 2025, following a 2024 where “Rublev struggled significantly mentally and exhibited behavioral issues. I would rate his on-court conduct this year a four out of ten. We remember what happened in the Dubai tournament when he was disqualified. Rublev couldn’t face the consequences of that.”
What many people don’t know is that Rublev has competed injured in several tournaments this season, something that has come to light thanks to Fernando’s interview. “It has been a crazy season. Before the Asian swing, he had a problem with a testicle. The doctor begged him not to go, but Andrey insisted. Then he had an issue in the abdominal area and could barely serve. Andrey is a madman, in the best way possible. He always wants to train: Monday, Saturday, Sunday, it doesn’t matter. I have to kick him off the court. I’m glad to be training a player like that,” he acknowledged.
We used to see a psychologist three times a week.
Fernando Vicente, Andrey Rublev’s coach
Regarding his depression, Rublev’s coach simply stated, “We try to stay close to him, support him; we went to a psychologist three times a week, where the conversation revolved around Rublev remembering where he was when it all started and what heights he managed to reach. This is a normal situation. As a coach, I also face many issues throughout the year.”
Despite being together for nine years and their paths seemingly intertwined, Fernando only wishes the best for Rublev, with or without him by his side. “If Andrey comes to me tomorrow and says: ‘Fernando, thank you for everything, but I think it would be better this way,’ then I will be happy. Sometimes I think Andrey needs to find someone else, but the main thing is that everything functions correctly. Russians are very sincere and genuine people. The only thing I don’t like is that they are sometimes too unhappy,” he stated.
