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ATP, Tennis Herren Qatar Exxonmobil Open-semi-final Andrey Rublev of Russia celebrates after winning against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the semi-final at the ATP men s Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2026 tennis tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, on February 20, 2026. DOHA Qatar Copyright: xNOUSHADx
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ATP, Tennis Herren Qatar Exxonmobil Open-semi-final Andrey Rublev of Russia celebrates after winning against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the semi-final at the ATP men s Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2026 tennis tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar, on February 20, 2026. DOHA Qatar Copyright: xNOUSHADx
Andrey Rublev’s turbulent season just doesn’t seem to be settling down. First, a chaotic travel stretch from Dubai to Indian Wells Open threw his schedule off track, and now, a shoulder injury has cast a shadow over his Monte-Carlo Masters campaign.
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Forced into an off-court medical timeout in his R64 clash against Nuno Borges, the Russian fought through visible discomfort to reach the R32. Yet it was his admission about relying on painkillers to push through that now steals the spotlight.
Reflecting on how his body felt after the match, he admitted uncertainty due to the heavy medication he had taken. “The body feeling? I don’t know, because I took a horse dose of painkillers and a medical [timeout]. So I don’t know, let’s see after five, six hours, or tomorrow, how is the body?” he laughed at the post-match interview.
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When asked about when the discomfort began, Rublev revealed that the issue had surfaced earlier than expected. “To be honest, it was a bit earlier; I just didn’t feel it. When I came back from the changeover at 4-3, when I went for a serve, I start to feel it a little bit.”
“After the first serve that I did, I started to feel it much more, and after that long rally, is when it was completely done.” Despite the physical setback, Rublev emphasized the mental strength he showed in pushing through the match.
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Tennis – Madrid Open – Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain – May 5, 2024 Russia’s Andrey Rublev reacts during his final match against Canada’s Felix Auger Aliassime REUTERS/Juan Medina
“I think today was exactly a mental victory for me, because in one moment, I thought, Okay, it’s done. And then I was able kind of, Okay, let’s just accept it, let’s just kind of trust, let’s trust, don’t start to put pictures now, ‘It’s over, I cannot play, maybe I need to pull out or something’. Let it be the way it should be,” Rublev added.
He is now scheduled to face Zizou Bergs in the next round, although his physical condition remains uncertain heading into that clash.
“First of all, to be able to finish the first set, and then somehow to [not] pay attention that I am losing in the second. In the end, somehow, out of nowhere, I start to feel better. I was able to fight again, to play better, and in the end, I was able to win a match.”
This victory marked Rublev’s first win at the Masters 1000 level in 2026, following early exits at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, where he lost to Gabriel Diallo and Alejandro Tabilo, respectively. Historically, Rublev has enjoyed strong results in Monte Carlo, including his title-winning run in 2023 when he defeated Holger Rune in the final.
He also reached the championship match in 2021 but finished runner-up to Stefanos Tsitsipas, while his 2025 campaign ended earlier than expected against Arthur Fils.
And to be honest, injuries and illness have repeatedly disrupted Rublev’s momentum over the years, with one past episode even forcing him to seek hospital treatment after winning the tournament.
Andrey Rublev rushed to the hospital after the Madrid Open win
In 2024, Andrey Rublev stormed to victory at the Madrid Open, delivering one of his most impressive runs on tour. The 26-year-old looked back to his best, producing a series of dominant performances on his way to the title.
He defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals before overcoming Taylor Fritz in straight sets in the semi-finals. In the final, he edged past Félix Auger-Aliassime to lift the trophy in style.
However, the triumph carried a hidden struggle that only came to light after the tournament concluded. Speaking to Tennis TV, Rublev revealed, “I spent two-and-a-half days in hospital… I had a tonsil abcess.”
He went on to describe the severity of his condition, adding, “It was crazy because one day I woke up and my throat doubled, it was bigger than it should be. The whole area where you breathe was super small, and the throat was in super pain.”
The discomfort extended beyond pain, affecting even basic functions like breathing and speaking. “It’s tough to breathe because you have less space… so my throat was an ugly colour and the smell from my mouth, you cannot imagine how horrible it was.”
Despite all this, Rublev managed to stay composed on court, masking the severity of his illness throughout the competition.
He later admitted just how difficult it had been, saying, “I could not take it… during the whole tournament, I was feeling worse and worse. And then as soon as I finished the final, early morning, we went to the hospital. Since I was in the hospital, after half a day, I already felt better. The next day I was already feeling so good, but for nine days I was struggling a lot.”
Now, at the Monte Carlo Masters, Rublev once again finds himself battling through pain, relying on mental strength and heavy painkillers as fans hope to see him return to his best in the coming matches.
