Andrey Rublev reveals his most meaningful moment on the tour as he reflects on his 2022 season
For Andrey Rublev, 2022 was a season of many ups and downs. From being unable to compete at the Wimbledon Championships to lifting four ATP tour titles, he jumped in and out of the spotlight — but the Russian's repeated efforts to promote peace on a world stage made sure that he won several new fans.
Reflecting on his rollercoaster year in a recent interview with Eurosport, Rublev said that the "Peace, Peace, Peace" message he wrote on the camera lens after his win in Dubai was the best thing that he did in 2022.
The World No. 8, while speaking about the fan support that he found over the course of the season, said he at times felt that he did not deserve it.
“I don’t like to talk about myself and to say good things about myself, I can only judge myself. That’s why last year especially with the situation happening in the world you feel that maybe you don’t deserve and when you feel support from people, especially in Turin, I have never felt something like that before. It was a really special moment,” Andrey Rublev said.
“One of the best things I did this year was the message I left in Dubai. It was the most meaning that I could do during the year," he added.
Alluding to the suffering caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rublev said he was in no position to even discuss the losses and just felt "privileged" to still have the opportunity to travel and play the sport.
“In my case, I am super lucky. I cannot say anything or complain because I am able to play and travel. In my position I am super lucky but there are millions of people who suffer and it’s terrible,” the Russian stated.
"I still have a lot of room to improve" - Andrey Rublev gears up for 2023 season
Shifting focus to his goals ahead of the 2023 season, Andrey Rublev said that his fundamental aim was to "improve" — before adding that he was looking forward to analyzing his mistakes from 2022 and working on them.
The Russian also highlighted the importance of mental toughness, saying that he was working towards improving on that front as well.
“The goal is simple: to improve. I still have a lot of room to improve game-wise, mentally, to analyse the year, analyse all the things I did wrong, all the matches that I behaved wrong, the matches where I was able to have a strong mentality, and to focus in that direction and try to do less wrong things during the season,” he expressed.