Mouratoglou on Rublev: "I think he's hurting himself".
Andrey Rublev, with two defeats in as many matches at the ATP Finals, is almost already eliminated. His unsatisfactory end to the season and his behavior on the courts throughout the year have caused a stir.
His outbursts of anger, particularly at the Bercy tournament, where he struck his knee with his racket until it bled and smashed bottles on the ground, are a cause for concern.
Patrick Mouratoglou, now Naomi Osaka's coach, spoke to Tennis 365: "I think he's had a tough time this year, he's had trouble controlling himself and, in my opinion, he's hurting himself.
He had a moment like this at the UTS Grand Final in London last year, and I saw him after the match, he felt so bad, he said two hundred times he was sorry, he was so ashamed.
But when he's in the heat of the moment, he's just not himself. When that happens, I think it hurts him and his results this year.
There was this one (at the UTS), the one in Dubai, and I think that's one of the reasons he's been in so much trouble this year.
I think he needs that madness to play at his best, and if he tries to control himself, because he's afraid of going too far, then he'll struggle to find his tennis. It's a fine line that's hard for him to find."
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