WATCH: Andrey Rublev smashes his knees, kicks players' bench in anger in frustrated outing at French Open 3R
Italy's Matteo Arnaldi stunned the world, and most importantly, Andrey Rublev, as he defeated the Russian in straight sets in the third round of the French Open. However, the spotlight was on Rublev's inability to contain his frustration, evident throughout the clash on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
The first set of the match reached a tense tiebreaker, where Arnaldi put pressure and clinched it 7-6(6) against the Russian opponent. The sixth seed struggled to make a comeback as he was outclassed by the Italian in the second set, losing it 6-2. The momentum shifted further in Arnaldi's favor in the third set, as Rublev showed his frustration and disappointment, ultimately losing 6-4 and conceding the match.
Rublev's composure was tested during the match, as he repeatedly lost his temper, resorting to smashing racquets and kicking benches in frustration. At one point, he engaged in an argument with the chair umpire over a disputed line call, and his frustration was evident through loud outbursts as the match progressed on the Parisian clay.
Watch the video below:
The 26-year-old Rublev secured victories over Taro Daniel and Pedro Martinez in the first two rounds, earning a spot in the third round. His defeat represents the highest-seeded departure thus far in the men's draw.
Meanwhile, Arnaldi has booked his spot in the fourth round and will face the victor of the clash between Zhizhen Zhang and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Andrey Rublev also vented anger at the line judge during the Dubai Open
Andrey Rublev's on-court anger at the French Open during his clash against Arnaldi was not an isolated incident; a similar scenario occurred during the Dubai Open semifinals. The Russian was defaulted from his match after yelling at the line judge and was later found to have used obscene language in his native tongue.
Rublev fell behind Alexander Bublik 6-5 in the deciding set when his argument with the line judge began. He pointed to the ball, insisting it had gone out of the baseline. Consequently, ATP supervisor Roland Herfel approached Rublev and informed him that he had to withdraw from the tournament.
The Russian didn't carry his form well in the subsequent tournaments. He was unable to defend his title at the Monte Carlo Masters, getting eliminated in the second round by Alexei Popyrin.
His poor form persisted through the Miami Open, Monte Carlo Masters, and Barcelona Open until he finally secured a victory at the Madrid Open. Rublev has yet to win a Major in his career.