Andrey Rublev, the world No. 9 Russian tennis star, revealed the pivotal advice given to him by his new coach, Marat Safin, a former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion, in an interview with Tennis Bolshe on August 9, 2025. Safin, who joined Rublev’s team alongside long-term coach Fernando Vicente in late 2024, urged him to diversify his aggressive baseline game to become more unpredictable and score more frequently through tactical adjustments. Rublev shared, “I knew that scoring more frequently was one of the main keys from a tactical point of view, but I was almost never able to do it until Marat came along. He told me that there were no other options and I had to try until I could do it,” per tennisworldusa.org.
This guidance addressed Rublev’s struggles with consistency and confidence, particularly after a challenging 2024 season marked by a fourth-round Wimbledon loss and early exits in several Masters 1000 events. Safin’s emphasis on adaptability has shown early promise in 2025, with Rublev reaching the Wimbledon semifinals—his best Grand Slam result—losing to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets, and the Toronto Masters 1000 semifinals, where he fell to Jannik Sinner 6-4, 7-5, per ATP Tour. Safin’s advice focuses on adding variety to Rublev’s relentless forehand-heavy style, encouraging him to incorporate drop shots, net play, and better defensive transitions to compete against top players like Sinner and Alcaraz.
Rublev, who has eight ATP titles and a 32-15 record in 2025, credited Safin’s intense mentorship for helping him overcome a confidence crisis. “Marat’s been there, he knows what it takes to win big,” Rublev told Tennis Bolshe, noting Safin’s 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open titles as a source of inspiration. Safin’s push for tactical evolution aims to unlock Rublev’s potential to break into the top 5 and challenge for a maiden Grand Slam. Posts on X, like @TennisUpToDate2, praised Safin’s impact, with one user noting, “Rublev’s game looks sharper with Marat’s input—less predictable now.” As Rublev prepares for the Cincinnati Open, facing a potential quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev, Safin’s advice could be key to sustaining his resurgence and pushing for a US Open title run.
