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Monte-Carlo Masters: Defending Champion Andrey Rublev Confesses to Being ‘Paralyzed’ after Nasty Dubai Incident

Published 04/10/2024, 12:11 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Understanding a tennis player’s mind is not an easy task. The matchday emotions are always a rollercoaster ride for any tennis player, and the same goes with Andrey Rublev. For the past few days, since the tournament in Dubai, he has not been in the right mental state.

Defending Monte Carlo Masters winner Andrey Rublev recently spoke out about his troubles, admitting that his contentious default in Dubai may have had an impact on his play. On the other hand, Rublev talked about how the event might have affected his mentality and led to a bad run of form in the games that followed.

Andrey Rublev’s thoughts on his nasty meltdown in Dubai

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The No. 6 ranked tennis player has seen a noticeable decline in form since his disqualification from his semi-final clash against Alexander Bublik at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he was losing 5-6 in the deciding set and appeared to swear at the line judge. Recently, in a press conference,  he stated, “One I was trying too much to control my emotions. Second, I was just paralyzed. I could not move one step, any part of my body.” 

The Russian player was affected by the early March incident because he was unable to have a significant impact on any of the Sunshine Double tournaments. Further, the 26-year-old tennis star admitted that his performances at the Indian Wells and Miami U.S. Swing events were negatively impacted by the circumstances in Dubai where he was forced to default.

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This revelation illuminates the incident’s aftereffects, implying that it has impacted his performance on the court in later events. On the other hand, it also emphasized the difficulties of being consistent in the fiercely competitive world of professional tennis and the possible psychological toll that such instances may have created for the Russian tennis player.

Nonetheless, he is ready to turn the tide at the Monte Carlos Masters as he comes back as the defending champion. Even though he might have had his own reasons for the controversial act, he apologized for what he did with the line umpire.

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Rublev apologized ‘several times’ for his ‘unacceptable’ behavior 

After the incident, the tennis player revealed that he had apologized several times for his actions and also lashed out at his critics.

He stated, “Of course, I was disturbed, too. So, by now, I’ve apologized several times. No, it’s not hard at all (to apologize) because it was my fault and it’s unacceptable to behave like that, to raise my voice like that. No matter if it’s a line judge, a fan, or just a regular person.” 

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Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Rublev’s Dubai controversy? Do let us know in the comment section below.

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash

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Pratishtha Prakash, tennis writer and resident analyst at EssentiallySports isn't just a sports journalist; she's a storyteller who found her true calling in tennis content. It is something she seamlessly integrates into both her professional and personal realms. Having professional certifications in content and digital marketing, Pratishtha has made it a habit to hone her skills as a quality journalist.
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Edited by:

Arijit Saha