“I can talk more about my match than my behavior, and that's good”: Andrey Rublev's reaction after his defeat in Montpellier

The Russian just came up against a stronger player than him on Saturday night. MAXPPP – JEAN MICHEL MART

The Russian and ninth in the world Andrey Rublev returned this Saturday, February 1st, in a press conference on his defeat against the American Aleksandar Kovacevic (7-5, 6-4), in the semi-final of the Open Occitanie, preferring to remember the progress regarding his mental state.

How do you feel after his defeat against Aleksandar Kovacevic ?

Every time you win, it's never easy, but that's how it is. The most important thing is that I managed to stay calm. I fought until the end. Now, I can talk more about my match than about my behavior, and that's good. We'll see, but little by little I'm starting to get my feelings back. Of course, today was a good match, but my level is far from that of a top 10 player. And that's how it is. He played a good match, he deserved to win, he played much more freely than me.

Can your lack of rhythm with only a match and a half explain this defeat??

I don't know, honestly. A defeat is a defeat, there are no explanations. If you lose, it's because you were less good than the other and he was better than you. That's how it is.

We see you closing your eyes at the change of ends, can you explain this routine to us??

It's something new for me. I find that it helps me a lot to stay calm. That's all.