Andrey Rublev hopes to “sort out a few details” with former World No.1 and coach Marat Safin

Andrey Rublev will kick off his grass-court campaign at the Terra Wortmann Open against Sebastian Ofner.

Andrey Rublev hopes to “sort out a few details” with former World No.1 and coach Marat Safin

Marat Safin and Andrey Rublev (via X/The Tennis Letter)

Andrey Rublev partnered with former World No.1 Marat Safin in April ahead of the clay-court season but they are yet to achieve success. The Russian star has won only one title this season and has struggled with form on the court. Ahead of the grass-court season, he hopes he and Safin will sort out things in his game.

Rublev has slipped out of the top 10 in the ATP rankings after a run of poor results. His only title victory this season came at the Qatar Open, where he defeated Jack Draper. He opened his clay-court account with a third-round loss to Arthur Fils at the Monte Carlo and then fell to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Barcelona Open.

However, he was expected to bounce back at the Madrid Open being the defending champion, but he lost to Alexander Bublik in the third round. The poor run continued in Rome but it was in Hamburg that he displayed some high-level tennis and finished as runners-up after losing to Flavio Cobolli in straight sets.

At the French Open, he continued his rejuvenating form reaching the fourth round before eventually losing to World No.1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Three months have passed since he first announced his partnership with Marat Safin, and he’s yet to claim a title, but ahead of the grass-court opener, he’s optimistic.

During an interview with Tennis Channel, Rublev was asked whether he would continue with a partnership with Safin. The former World No.6 didn’t hesitate to say that despite things not going as planned, he believes things will progress well as time goes on:

Things are going well, to be honest. It’s going to be very interesting. Paris is our last test tournament, then we’ll see how things progress. I’m satisfied and would like to continue working with Marat. Everything should be okay, we’ve talked a little, but we still have a few details to sort out. We’re still working on it, but it looks like everything will be fine.

Rublev is competing at the Terra Wortmann Open for the eighth time in his career. He has reached the final twice, including in 2023 when he lost to Alexander Bublik. The 27-year-old will open his campaign at the tournament on Tuesday (June 17) against Sebastian Ofner. He’s projected to face Tomas Etcheverry in the second round, while a possible third-round clash against fellow compatriot Karen Khachanov awaits him.

If he does scale through to the semi-finals of the Terra Wortmann Open, he will face Sinner. The Russian will hope to stop the Italian like he did at the Canadian Open last year. Nonetheless, it will be difficult as the 23-year-old is currently in form.

Andrey Rublev debuts new signature shoe with K-SWISS

Andrey Rublev recently worked with K-SWISS to step up its fame with the release of its most innovative performance shoe, K-Frame Speed Rublo. The shoe is the World No. 15’s signature model reflecting the athletic demands and high-speed performance of modern professional tennis.

Andrey Rublev 5
Andrey Rublev (via X/Andrey Rublev news)

The K-Frame Speed Rublo is designed with an advanced structure, the TPU K-Frame structure just underneath the forefoot to provide additional support needed for good movement and quick change of direction during a match. Rublev, a co-designer of his eponymous show, signed a multi-year deal with K-SWISS in August last year and promised the release of a K-SWISS and Rublo capsule collection, and a limited number of performance sneakers.

Since his signing, the Russian star has worn several stylish kits while playing on tour. At the Roland Garros, he wore the latest green and black kit, which is a reflection of the K-Frame Speed Rublo. Fans will be looking forward to his new kit at the Halle Open ahead of the Wimbledon Championship, which starts on June 30.

Also Read: “I am getting older,” Carlos Alcaraz Bemoans Not Partying for 3 Nights in Ibiza Because of His Age