Andrey Rublev jokingly said he starred in disbelief upon learning his Round Robin opponents at the ATP Finals. On Thursday, Rublev was drawn in the same group as Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev.
In the other group, Rafael Nadal, Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud were placed. Rublev definitely didn’t have much luck with his group at the ATP Finals. “My first reaction was not so good. I thought: ‘What am I doing here in this group?’”, Rublev jokingly revealed, per the ATP Finals website.
Rublev: That’s how it goes at ATP Finals
After Rublev jokingly assessed the strength of his group, he underlined that there are no easy matches at the ATP Finals and that you have to beat the best if you want to enjoy success at the prestigious season-ending tournament.
“You can’t escape. If you want to play against the best and try to beat them, you have to play against them. I just want to enjoy my time and give my best,” Rublev noted. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Rublev is set to make his third appearance at the ATP Finals.
In his past two appearances, Rublev didn’t have much success as he didn’t make it past the group stage either in 2020 or 2021. After 12 years in London, the ATP Finals relocated to Turin in 2021. The ATP Finals will be held in Turin at least between 2021 and 2025.
“This moment feels special, I enjoy it. For the spectators it is also fun not only to watch tennis, but to see the players in a different atmosphere. I think it’s great entertainment for them and also for us. It brings something new and refreshing,” Rublev added.
This year, Rublev didn’t manage to win his first Masters or Grand Slam title. It remains to be seen if Rublev can cap off his year by winning his first ATP Finals title.
