“He shows everything is possible,” Novak Djokovic lauded by Andrey Rublev for astonishing feats at the age of 35
"You can perform at high level, regardless of age," Rublev takes inspiration from the World No.1 as Djokovic spends 377 weeks at the top after 10th Australian Open win
Follow Us
Andrey Rublev, the World No.5, is set to play at the Qatar Open on Wednesday, as the top-seeded player in the tournament. Prior to his opening match, Rublev attended a press conference. He praised Novak Djokovic for his record-breaking achievements and successful career, all through the age of 35.
Rublev showered praise on the Serbian after his impeccable Australian Open win and the subsequent rise in rankings to World No. 1. The 25-year-old applauded Djokovic for his record-extending Grand Slam win, regardless of his age, when most players move towards retirement. Djokovic recently equaled Steffi Graf‘s record for the most weeks at No. 1.
In the ATP rankings, Novak surpassed Roger Federer’s record of 310 weeks at the top-most position too. The Serb also overcame an injury earlier this year to win a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam singles title, pulling even with Rafael Nadal. Rublev lost to the 10-time champion in the quarterfinals in Melbourne.
At his news conference, Rublev stated that he was not surprised by Djokovic’s breaking of the record at the age of 35. Rublev also praised the Serb for remaining at the top of his game for nearly two decades. The Russian also praised Djokovic’s ability to make ‘right’ decisions and remain consistent.
Rublev said the following in his conference, “He shows that basically everything is possible, that at 35 he can still be the best player in the world and break all records. If you do the right things, you can perform at the highest level, regardless of your age. This is what Novak represents for me…” The player is set to face Tallon Griekspoor at the Qatar Open.
Can Andrey Rublev win the Qatar Open?
In the Rotterdam Open, Rublev failed to move past the Round of 32, as he lost to Alex De Minaur. However, top-seeded Rublev is one of the favorites to win the Qatar Open this year. The World No. 5 had previously won the ATP 250 title in 2020 by defeating Corentin Moutet in straight sets. Robert Batista Agut is the current defending champion in Doha.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev are the three primary contenders for Rublev to win the tournament, which was chosen the best in the world at the ATP Awards last year. All four players will begin to play in the Round of 16 after receiving first-round byes. The Qatar Open contains special memories for 25-year-old Rublev, who made it to his first tour-level hard-court final there in 2018.
In case you missed it:
Stay Updated!
Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)