By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday February 26, 2025
Andrey Rublev has by no means been shy with regards to opening up about psychological well being points. In our sport, the Russian is among the man who has been to the underside, psychologically talking, however he’s an inspiration as a result of he has regularly sought to raised himself by way of expertise.
A 12 months after a profession low level, one which noticed Rublev defaulted from a match in Dubai due to an on-court meltdown, the Russian can have a good time the strides he’s making.
Nowadays Rublev writes the phrase “duty” on his shoe earlier than matches so he can always be reminded of an essential tenet.
“So, ultimately does not matter what’s occurring in your life, it is solely your fault, nobody else,” Rublev Explains. “You can not blame something or anybody. I suppose that is form of to remind myself to not complain.”
I suppose so as a result of in finish is the whole lot related. It is all about stability in all over the place. It doesn’t matter. In case you’re not balanced with your self, you may be not balanced. Would not matter. All the pieces will go aside.
A Damaging Loop
Rublev defined how low he went, into despair and self-loathing, over a interval of a number of years, and credited conversations with former World No.1 Marat Safin for serving to him discover his approach out.
“I used to be simply form of in a loop misplaced with myself for a few years of, I do not know, not discovering the way in which, not understanding what to do, what for.,” he stated. “I do not know, sounds a bit perhaps dramatic or no matter, like what the explanation or function to stay like that or stuff like that. … Simply utterly misplaced. Let’s put it this manner, utterly misplaced with myself and that is it.
“The factor is one factor when it is occurring one, month, two months, three months. Perhaps you continue to have persistence or one thing. However when it occurs one 12 months, two 12 months, three 12 months, 4 12 months, 5. When it is coming for a lot of, a few years, in a single second you can’t take it anymore. It is like one ache that begin to develop an increasing number of and an increasing number of, and also you need to lower the arm and that is it. So it was like this.”
Rublev says he tried antidepressants however after a 12 months he realized that he wasn’t making the kind of progress he wished.
“I simply stopped to take them, and that is it,” he stated.
That’s when Safin stepped in and helped him have a look at himself within the mirror.
“Then with the assistance of Marat, he form of make me perceive myself or have a look at myself, let’s put it that approach. That is it. That was form of a little bit of restart from the underside. Then from there, at the least I used to be ready little by little to begin to transfer in a greater route. Now I am transferring little by little on this higher route.”
Becoming then that Rublev is again profitable ATP titles once more. His willingness to have these exhausting conversations and share his struggles with the general public has made him an inspiration to others who wrestle, both publicly or inwardly.
Paula Badosa, whose well-documented struggles with psychological well being have been inspiring as effectively, took to social media to reward Rublev.
A lot respect for you,” she wrote in reply to a video of Rublev’s press convention. “Listening to all this actually strikes me and I understand how a lot ache it’s. It will solely make you stronger on the finish of the day. I am glad you feel higher. Thanks for talking up.”
Andrey Rublev: I used to be simply form of in a loop, misplaced with myself for a few years of, not discovering the way in which, not understanding what to do, what for? Sounds a bit dramatic, like what is the cause or function to stay? I do not know, simply utterly misplaced with myself (…) pic.twitter.com/b7x4PpP3F4
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) February 24, 2025