"A spoilt brat who always has a tantrum" - Andrey Rublev shouting at cameraperson during Shanghai Masters final angers fans
Hubert Hurkacz bettered Andrey Rublev in the final of the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters on October 15, Sunday.
Hurkacz defeated the No. 5 seed in a close three-set contest, with fans holding their breath throughout. He took the first set thanks to a solitary break, only for Rublev to return the favor in the second.
No serves were broken in the third set as the two men went to a match tiebreaker to decide the winner. Hurkacz saved a match point in the tiebreaker and eventually won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(8).
The match was action-packed throughout and featured several moments where the tension boiled over. Rublev had a meltdown on the court in the third set, going off on a cameraperson seated behind the umpire's chair at 4-5, 40-40. The cameraperson reportedly moved out of his chair mid-rally, breaking Rublev's concentration, following which ended up losing the point.
The entire stadium went quiet as the World No. 5 shouted at the cameraperson for hindrance during play. The chair umpire then gave Rublev an unsportsmanlike conduct warning for his rant.
Tennis fans did not like the 25-year-old's conduct either and took to social media to express their disappointment. Many questioned his mental toughness to play a sport like tennis, while others called for him to hire a therapist to handle his rage issues.
Some pointed out that this isn't the first time Rublev has gone off on someone during a match and found it unfair that he shouted at a stranger in front of the whole stadium.
"Waiting for the 'Rublev is the kindest and sweetest guy, but hes his own worst enemy'. Fk that sentiment, hes a spoilt little brat on court who always has a tantrum, I dont see it any other way," one fan wrote on Reddit. "I think this somewhat killed my love for him. Sure the photographer made a mistake but nobody deserves to be shouted at and humiliated like this in front of a crowd. That man is a complete stranger, not even part of your team not that screaming at your team is justifiable..."
"But the point is what’s the difference between this and screaming at your waiter for missing part of your order? The way you treat people around you, especially strangers who’re just trying to do their job says a lot about your character. Please do better Andrey because this is really ugly and immature behavior," another fan said.
"That’s not okay. no matter what. rublev needs therapy," a fan stated.
"Tbh rublev acts like this on almost every point that doesn't go his way," a fan pointed out.
Here are some more fan reactions to Andrey Rublev's outburst at the Shanghai Masters:
Andrey Rublev returns to Top-5 ranking after final in Shanghai
Andrey Rublev has once again found himself in the Top-5 of the ATP Rankings, currently at World No. 5, after reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters. Ahead of him now are: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Jannik Sinner. Rublev first achieved this milestone on September 13, 2021.
In Shanghai, he bettered Quentin Hays, Adrian Mannarino, Tommy Paul, Ugo Humbert, and Grigor Dimitrov en route to the final. Andrey Rublev was the firm favorite to lift the trophy in Shanghai, as he was the only top 10 seed left in the competition by the time the quarterfinals came around. But Hurkacz made good use of his monstrous serve and calm mindset to claim the trophy.
Earlier in 2023, Andrey Rublev won his first-ever ATP 1000 title at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He also lifted the trophy at the ATP 250 Swedish Open. At Grand Slams, however, Rublev has been unable to break his quarterfinal curse, finishing in the last 8 stages at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.