Andrey Rublev Reveals What Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Dominance Does to Him

Andrey Rublev advanced to the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open.

Andrey Rublev Reveals What Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Dominance Does to Him

Andrey Rublev, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (via X/The Tennis/Jose Morgado)

In Short
  • Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominate the men's tour, holding the top two spots in the ATP rankings.
  • Andrey Rublev finds inspiration in their success, believing it shows that achieving results quickly is possible.
  • Rublev has improved his on-court demeanor, focusing on healthier approaches to the sport despite not winning a title this year.

The dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the men’s tour shows no signs of stopping any time soon. Dubbed as the new Big 2, they have both shared the big titles so far this season. Andrey Rublev, who struggled last season on the court, has admitted that their dominance influences him positively.

Alcaraz claimed the first big title of the season at the Australian Open in January, while Sinner won three consecutive ATP 1000 Masters crowns, including the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco. They comfortably hold their places at the top of the ATP rankings. Sinner leads as World No.1 with 13,350 points, while Alcaraz has 12,910 points.

Alcaraz leads World No. 3 by over 5,000 points in the men’s rankings. No player in the men’s tour has won more tour-level titles than Sinner (3) and Alcaraz (2) this season. However, several players have been tipped to be the third star to join Sinner and Alcaraz in a new-look Big 3 dominance on tour.

Joao Fonseca, Jack Draper, and Ben Shelton have been dubbed the third star, but none of them has managed to reach their level yet. World No.15 Rublev is one of the many players denied a big title due to the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner on tour. He defeated Alcaraz at the Madrid Open in 2024.

That same year, he defeated Sinner at the Canadian Open, becoming the only player to beat the Italian star and Alcaraz in the same season. However, since then, Rublev has struggled to reach his peak on the court, but he’s not giving up. The Russian star revealed during an interview with Spazio Tennis that he’s inspired by Sinner and Alcaraz’s dominance on tour:

It’s not affecting me negatively. On the contrary, it gives me the belief that certain results are achievable. They give me hope: if they achieved it so early, it means that with the right approach and the right mindset, you don’t have to wait years to reach that level. The difference is that they just play tennis; the score or the round doesn’t matter. Sometimes I play tennis, and sometimes I hope: I hope to win the point, I hope the other player makes a mistake or double-faults.

Besides their dominance, Sinner and Alcaraz’s rivalry has been one of the most entertaining highlights to watch in the men’s circuit. The duo faced each other six times last season, with Alcaraz winning four and Sinner winning two. Nonetheless, they met at the Monte Carlo Masters final, where Sinner defeated the Spaniard in straight sets.

Andrey Rublev focused on the court after abandoning toxic approaches to success

Andrey Rublev has not been at his best this season, but the Russian star has revealed he’s becoming a better person on the court. Since this year, there has been rarely an outburst from him after losses or during matches. The 28-year-old now looks calm on the court and less emotional.

Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev (via X/The Tennis Letter)

He has pointed out previously that he struggled with depression and a mental breakdown on tour, but that cannot be said this season. During the aforementioned interview, he revealed that he has been successful personally since quitting toxic approaches to the sport as a way of achieving his goals:

It certainly helped me get to where I am today… but it’s a toxic way of achieving goals. At a certain point, you feel exhausted and emptier than before. I’ve squeezed everything I could out of that approach; now it’s about learning a new, healthier way of playing.

Rublev is yet to win a title this year, but has reached the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open, Doha Open, and Dubai Tennis Championships. He’s currently competing at the Barcelona Open and looks set to reach the final after Carlos Alcaraz (the highest-seeded player on the side of his draw) withdrew from the event.

Also Read: Joao Fonseca Points Out Where He Must Improve to Reach Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Level