Andrey Rublev Reveals What It’s Like Working with Coach Marat Safin: “Brings a Lot of Calmness and Maturity”

Andrey Rublev will be hoping to end his title drought at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he won his career's first Masters 1000 title back in 2023.

Andrey Rublev Reveals What It’s Like Working with Coach Marat Safin: “Brings a Lot of Calmness and Maturity”

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

In Short
  • Andrey Rublev is entering the clay season with coach Marat Safin, marking one year of their collaboration.
  • Rublev has not yet won a title under Safin but reached the final at the 2025 Hamburg European Open.
  • Rublev expressed the need to modify his playing style to continue competing at a high level, citing limitations in his current approach.

Andrey Rublev is gearing up for the clay swing, which is already underway in several parts of Europe. The first big event on the surface, the Monte Carlo Masters, is set to start on April 5.

April also marks the completion of one year under coach Marat Safin. They started working together for the first time before the start of the 2025 clay-court season. Rublev recently sat for an interview on the Nothing Major podcast, during which he discussed the contributions of the former World No.1 to his team.

It’s very helpful to have someone like him on the team. He brings me a lot of calmness and a bit of maturity. Just being around him already brings you peace, sometimes he doesn’t even need to say anything. Moreover, it’s nothing like how he was as a player; he has changed a lot.

Rublev has yet to win a title under the tutelage of Safin, but has played one final, the 2025 Hamburg European Open, and ended up losing the title to Flavio Cobolli. The last time he emerged victorious in a tournament was at the 2025 Qatar Open, where he defeated Jack Draper.

It is Safin’s first time coaching a player. Safin, who lifted the 2020 US Open and the 2005 Australian Open, called time on his career in 2009.

Andrey Rublev makes honest confessions about his playing style

During that Nothing Major podcast, Andrey Rublev did not shy away from admitting that he has reached his limits with his playing style. A self-critical 28-year-old discussed the need to modify his playing style to continue competing at the highest level.

Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev (Image via X/Wimbledon)

I feel that with my basic style, relying almost solely on my forehand and lacking a plan B, I have already reached my limit… I believe I squeezed everything I could to reach the top 5. Now it’s time to try changing things and see if that gives me an extra push… I feel like I’m missing completing the puzzle.

Rublev, the winner of 17 singles titles, reached his career-best ranking of No.5 in 2021, but now, with a 10-6 win-loss record in the 2026 season, he sits in the No.16 spot.

Sometimes I do things, but not at the right moment. I come to the net when I shouldn’t, or I don’t know when to change directions. When you start doing it recently, many times you decide randomly. It takes time until you really understand it.

Andrey Rublev added

Rublev was last seen in action at the Miami Open, where Alejandro Tabilo downed him in three sets. It was his second consecutive defeat in a singles tournament, given that he suffered an opening-round exit at the Indian Wells Masters after a three-set defeat to Gabriel Diallo.

Thrice this season, he has reached the semifinals, including at the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships, the two ATP 500 tournaments on the Middle East Swing. At the Australian Open, his campaign ended in the third round.

Last year on the clay swing, Rublev suffered early-round exits at the Monte Carlo Masters, Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, and the Italian Open, before he lost to Flavio Cobolli in the Hamburg European Open final. At the French Open, eventual runner-up Jannik Sinner breezed past him in straight sets.

Although Rublev underperformed last year, he has won two Big Titles on the surface. After failing to win the Monte Carlo Masters final in 2021, Rublev tasted success in a Masters 1000 tournament by defeating Holger Rune in the same event back in 2023. The following season, he clinched the Madrid Open against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Also read: Diego Schwartzman Drops the Hammer on the ‘Crazy’ ATP Calendar