"If you were trying to be like me you would be No. 8 or 9 in the world" - Andrey Rublev enjoys funny banter with Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev had a hilarious exchange during a practice session at the ongoing Miami Open in Miami, Florida.
Both Alcaraz and Rublev are set to play their Round of 16 matches in the Masters tournament on March 28. Alcaraz will lock horns with Tommy Paul whereas Rublev will compete against Jannik Sinner.
In a video released on Twitter, Rublev greeted Alcaraz following the latter's practice session. Shaking hands with Alcaraz, Rublev jokingly pointed out that the 19-year-old did not make a single mistake during his training.
"What is this man? Not even one mistake," Rublev said.
Cleansing your feed 🤗
@carlosalcaraz @andreyrublev97 ❤️
#MiamiOpen https://t.co/N05FxMQATR
The Spanish teenager responded to Rublev's comments by stating that he was trying to emulate him.
"I am trying to be like you, killing the forehand, no mistakes," Carlos Alcaraz said.
Andrey Rublev then sarcastically claimed that if Alcaraz was really trying to become like him, the current World No. 1 would be ranked No. 8 or 9.
"If you were trying to be like me, you would be number 8 or 9 in the world man," Rublev said with a smile.
The duo have never played against each other on the tour, but they did lock horns at the 2022 Mubadala World Tennis Championship in December. Playing for the first time since the 2022 Paris Masters, Alcaraz faced defending champion Rublev in the semifinals of the exhibition tournament.
Rublev ended up winning the match 6-2, 6-1 to set up a summit clash with eventual winner Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Carlos Alcaraz is looking for his third singles trophy of the season
Since returning to the tour from his injury, Carlos Alcaraz has been in fine form, winning two singles titles and reaching the final of one more.
The World No. 1 picked up from where he left off as he beat Cameron Norrie 6-3, 7-5 to win the Argentina Open in February. But at the Rio Open, Alcaraz lost to Norrie in the final.
Playing at the Indian Wells Masters, the reigning US Open winner beat the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev to win the title without dropping a single set.
Seeded No. 1 in the Miami Open, Carlos Alcaraz is yet to drop a set so far and has even registered bagels in his first two matches. He will square off against Tommy Paul in the Round of 16.