Rublev: "It's all thanks to Marat Safin".
Andrey Rublev finally got back to winning ways. After four consecutive defeats, the Russian finally stopped the bleeding.
Facing Ugo Carabelli in his Umag debut, he won in two tight sets (6-4, 7-5).
Without playing his best tennis, Rublev won again, and that was essential.
The Moscow native made no secret of the fact. He knows full well that his weaknesses are far more psychological than physical.
He even recently explained that, since Wimbledon, he has been working with Marat Safin on the subject: "After Wimbledon, I worked on my head, because the problem wasn't my tennis.
It's going to sound funny, but it's thanks to Marat Safin.
We got in touch somehow, and that was it. He helped me. And I have him to thank.
A surprising partner, given the volcanic nature of the former world number 1.
On the tennis front, Rublev will face Marozsan in the Round of 16.