Andrey Rublev jokes about "too freaking young" Holger Rune giving him a chance to win maiden Masters 1000 title
No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev defeated reigning Paris Masters champion Holger Rune 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, to win the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters on Sunday, April 16. This is Rublev's first ever Masters 1000 trophy.
Facing 3-0 and 4-1 deficits in the deciding set, Rublev appeared destined for the runner-up position. But he came roaring back to turn the tables on his young opponent.
The pivotal moment came when Rublev saved a break point in the sixth game of the last set. He went on to win six of the next seven games.
CHAMPION IN MONTE CARLO 😤
Andrey Rublev wins his first Masters 1000 title with a three-set comeback win over Holger Rune! https://t.co/12LHyUc3km
Speaking at the presentation ceremony afterwards, Andrey Rublev addressed Holger Rune directly, joking about the "too freaking young" Dane giving him the chance to win his first Masters title. The Russian also congratulated Rune and his team on their "amazing" week.
"I wanna congratulate Rune for the amazing week and your team. I mean, I know it's tough to lose in a final. But, man, you are too freaking young man. You already have a 1000 title, at least give me one time to win it," Rublev joked.
Holger Rune in turn congratulated his colleague on his title, saying he deserved it after all his hard work. The 19-year-old then thanked the crowd for providing him with an "amazing" experience.
"Congrats to Andrey. It’s your 1st 1000 title, it’s huge. Congrats to your team as well. You’ve been working very very hard, you deserve it. & good luck for the future. Last but not least, I want to thank the crowd. It’s been absolutely amazing," Rune said.
"I have tears and don’t know what to say, I'm just so happy" - Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev also stated that he was overjoyed, in tears and completely speechless at finally winning a Masters 1000 trophy after working so hard for it.
"I have tears and don’t know what to say, I'm just so happy. Finally, after struggling so much to win these 1000 tournaments. Losing 4-1 at 0-30, then break point, I’m thinking there’s no chance to win and somehow I did it," Rublev said.
The 25-year-old revealed that while he lost self-belief after giving up early leads in his previous two Masters finals, on Sunday he believed in himself until the very end.
"I was deep inside hoping I would have one chance, knowing that in previous finals mentally I was not ready and when I was losing I was thinking there would be no chance to win anymore," Rublev said.
"Today I was thinking, 'OK, if you’re going to lose today, at least believe until the end' and that’s what I tried to do in the third set, hoping I would have one chance to come back," he added.
Andrey Rublev has risen to fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings after winning his first tour-level title of the season.