NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 3, 2025

Andrey Rublev

Quick Quotes

A. RUBLEV/A. Davidovich Fokina

6-7, 7-6, 3-0 [Ret.]

Q. Maybe not the way you wanted to get that win, but how pleased were you with how you played?

ANDREY RUBLEV: It was tough match. I think it was a good level. It was not easy conditions again, it was a lot of wind. He was playing really well. What else? I don't know.

The way I won, of course it's not the way I wanted to win. But like I was saying before, in the end of the day, we played two and a half hours, and for me it was more than enough of tennis (smiling). If we could keep playing, maybe we would pass three hours. I prefer two and a half, for today that is more than enough. So, yeah, I would like to rest, to recover as best as I can, and be ready for the next match.

Q. You were just two points away from losing. How did you manage to stay calm?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I don't know, to be honest, because at that moment I was thinking it looks like it's going to be 7-6, 6-4. And then, so I said, Okay, let's try to win one point. Then I was able to win it.

And then I remember 15-30, it was tough point for me, because I played really aggressive, more aggressive than usual, and I finished at the net. And the volley that I finish, normally most of the times I was missing them, and I was able to put it super good, super perfect. It gave me a little belief that, okay, if at that moment this ball I was able to play that good in the important moment, at 30-All I was feeling already more confident. I think I did the serve or something, I don't even remember what I did, and then, yeah, I won the game.

Q. (Question about the number of tournaments played this year.)

ANDREY RUBLEV: I start to play really well. During the Wimbledon I start to feel that my level is there. I start to feel that I'm practicing well, that I'm improving, and on the matches I started to show the level. When it's like this, you never know, you still can lose, but as more you keep that level, as more chances you will have that one week is going to be yours.

You never know what's going to happen. You can play unbelievable, and you can be in unbelievable form, and you still keep losing. You need to have patience in those moments when you feel that your level is back. So that's why I start to play everything, because my positions are not the same like before, in terms of ranking.

I had one week off after Roland Garros, so I was able to take a rest, to be one week completely without things.

Q. (Question regarding Fernando Vicente as coach.)

ANDREY RUBLEV: Our relationship? It's more than a player and coach. He's a family member, and he will be, no matter what, for the rest of my life. Because he was there when I was completely alone. He was there for me, not seeing his family, sacrificing his family to spend time with me. Yeah, we are super good together. We have amazing connection. He's super funny. We can be super open about everything with each other.

It's kind of a relationship, I don't know. I was really liking that I was able to find someone that he's super good at tennis, he's super talented in tennis as a coach, as a player, and on top of that, like a human being, he's one of the best I've ever met.

Q. You're an emotional player, maybe you play your best when you're feeling angry.

ANDREY RUBLEV: No, no.

Q. Were you angry at all?

ANDREY RUBLEV: I think, as the experience shows, it's the opposite. When I was able to stay focused, I was able to perform much better.

Q. Sometimes you see players that they change coaches, but what are the advantages of staying with the same coach for a long time?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Advantages? Advantages is that he's one of the best coaches that I ever met, and I was lucky to have him.

And then the other thing is, like I said, like a person. He doesn't work for money, he doesn't have any interest. He just wants to help because he love me. And we get already, like I said, like we are family members, and that's it. So he have no interests. He have a lot of humanity inside. He's super kind. He's doing a lot of things for me that normally, when you hire someone as a coach or something, half of the coaches they don't do those things. He is doing a lot of things outside of the court, outside of the tennis. Yeah, it's different, and that's it. And I know at the end he give me everything to be able to be at my best, and it's about me.

It doesn't matter how many coaches you're going to change. At this level, when you are top 10, okay, maybe there is someone who, the players who won a lot of slams, they can give some advice how to, what you need to do at these levels to achieve that moment. But overall, no one can teach you anything, you are the one who can help you. Doesn't matter how much coaches you change, you're the one who is playing. So if you always look for help, in the end you're not going to grow.