Rublev: "I was almost dead, I wasn't even sleeping".
Andrey Rublev rounded off his tournament perfectly in Madrid on Sunday. Very good throughout on the Madrid clay, the Russian once again showed great skill to dominate an outstanding Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final (4-6, 7-5, 7-5). He was all the happier for having had to contend with health problems, serious enough to almost cause him to withdraw from the tournament.
Andrey Rublev: "There are no words (to describe what this title means). I mean, if you knew what I've been through these last 9 nine days, you wouldn't have imagined that I'd be able to win the title. I'm incredibly happy. And this moment changes everything, because now it doesn't seem like I've lost in the 1st round for the last 6 weeks.
I almost withdrew from the tournament at one point. Because I had a few problems I couldn't solve (he was ill, with a fever and trouble sleeping). All credit to the doctors, they were magic. I don't know how, but they worked their magic so that I was at least able to play. They're the best doctors I've ever seen on the ATP Tour.
This is the title I'm most proud of in my career. I gave it everything I had. I was almost dead every day. I didn't even sleep at night. For the last 3 or 4 days, I've hardly slept at all."
Madrid 
