“Without this, I wouldn’t be in the final,” Andrey Rublev credits his mental game for getting through Taylor Fritz in straight sets as he books a berth in Madrid Open finals

Rublev is aiming to win his second title of the season after form depletion a few weeks ago.

“Without this, I wouldn’t be in the final,” Andrey Rublev credits his mental game for getting through Taylor Fritz in straight sets as he books a berth in Madrid Open finals

Andrey Rublev (Image via Imago)

After only two wins in March, Andrey Rublev has finally found his competitive rhythm in Madrid. Now with five wins and having made a place for himself in the final of the top-tier clay tournament, the Russian has revealed that his mental strength gave him an edge for his semifinal win against American Taylor Fritz.

Rublev was far from a favorite, with 3-5 head-to-head against Fritz before their meeting today. However, it showed in the first set as Fritz broke the Russian to earn the first break point but couldn’t keep the momentum as Rublev came from behind to win the first set 6-4 inside Manolo Santana Stadium.

In the second set, the American pressured the World No.8 pushing for the lead. Still, it soon fell behind as Rublev not only won the first game point but went on decisively to win the sixth game before completing his remarkable win 6-4, 6-3 in just an hour and 12 minutes.

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Rublev now has only three losses in Madrid with ten wins to his name. During his on-court interview after beating Fritz, he was asked whether his mental strength was key to the victory. The Russian admitted that it indeed gave him the right direction.

For sure. Mentally, I’ve been feeling much better. I was able to perform putting emotions in the right direction. It helped me to be in the final. Without this, I wouldn’t be in the final.
Andrey Rublev said in the on-court interview

Rublev defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open. He will be aiming for his second Masters 1000 title on Sunday, as he will face either Jiri Lehecka or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final.

Andrey Rublev back to form and winning in Madrid after a short depletion

Andrey Rublev will also be seeking a second title of the season at the Madrid Open final. He won the Hong Kong Open in January and then reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The Russian continued with the momentum in Rotterdam but shockingly lost to Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.

Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev (Via Imago)

Another quarterfinal exit in Dubai led to a semifinal reach in Qatar the following week. Depleting form saw him win one match in four tournaments. He only defeated former World No.1 Andy Murray in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters.

Arriving for the Madrid Open, Rublev was No. 8, a three-place drop from his No. 5 position in January. However, he enjoyed life in Madrid than any other tournament this season. With five wins en route to the final, he now has a chance to win his second-biggest title of his career.

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