Archive July 4, 2025

For world number 14 Andrey Rublev, success at Wimbledon looks like one of two things.

Win – or “lose it in a mature, adult way”.

Mature is perhaps not always the word that has been associated with Rublev. Prone to outbursts and temper tantrums, the eccentric character has often found himself in the headlines for his volatile behaviour rather than his on-court talent.

But the 27-year-old has been working on controlling his emotions.

Bringing two-time major champion Marat Safin, no stranger to an on-court outburst himself, on board has helped Rublev address those problems.

Rublev has never gone beyond a quarter-final of a Grand Slam, losing 10 times at this stage.

But in the context of his mental battles, this time last year at the All England Club marked a particular low point. He went out in the first round and made headlines for repeatedly smashing his racquet into his leg in frustration.

That was just one incident of many like it.

Last year he was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for screaming in the face of a line judge following a disputed call in the semi-final against Alexander Bublik, losing all his prize money and ranking points for the week.

That decision was later overturned with points and money reinstated, but the persistent outbursts sparked concern among peers and fans.

At the Paris Masters he drew blood again from smashing his racquet into his knee.

Rublev has cited last year’s SW19 moment when he knew things needed to change and has since opened up about his mental health struggles.

“I would say it was not dealing with the issue of losing or not losing, it was not the issue even of tennis,” he revealed.

“I was just dealing with myself, just to face myself, to stop running away from myself and I was just dealing with that. What’s happening inside of me, why I feel this, why I feel that, why I am doing this? “

Away from the court, Rublev is a popular character on the Tour. He has frequently expressed his opposition to the war in Ukraine, while he also set up a clothing brand, which he wears for his matches, where all profits are used to help children with critical illnesses.

But being kinder to himself has been an issue and working more frequently with a psychologist, combined with the addition of Safin to his coaching set-up, proved crucial.

“Marat is a huge help to me. He has given some advice and said some things, but he does it not in a soft way,” explained Rublev.

“He’s super strict – he gives you the heavy truth. “

Safin, a former world number one and winner of the US Open and Australian Open, was notorious for his temper, estimating he smashed 700 racquets in his career.

That level of passion, and sheer yearning to succeed, which the two share is never going to be stamped out all together.

But while Rublev has yet to win a Tour title this season, he showed improved control over his emotions at the Doha Open by winning three consecutive three-set matches, despite dropping the second set in all three and winning dramatic final-set tie-breaks in two of them.

“I know that everything is connected. If you feel some problems with yourself, it will affect everything,” he added.

“Sooner or later you will have problems with your family, with relationships, with work, everywhere. When you have peace with yourself, then the rest takes cares of itself. “

But Rublev has learned to understand it doesn’t have to all be about winning. For now at least, that is enough.

“There are two options,” he said. “Try to go deeper. Or if I lose, to lose it in a mature, adult way.

For world number 14 Andrey Rublev, success at Wimbledon looks like one of two things.

Win – or “lose it in a mature, adult way”.

Mature is perhaps not always the word that has been associated with Rublev. Prone to outbursts and temper tantrums, the eccentric character has often found himself in the headlines for his volatile behaviour rather than his on-court talent.

But the 27-year-old has been working on controlling his emotions.

Bringing two-time major champion Marat Safin, no stranger to an on-court outburst himself, on board has helped Rublev address those problems.

Rublev has never gone beyond a quarter-final of a Grand Slam, losing 10 times at this stage.

But in the context of his mental battles, this time last year at the All England Club marked a particular low point. He went out in the first round and made headlines for repeatedly smashing his racquet into his leg in frustration.

That was just one incident of many like it.

Last year he was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for screaming in the face of a line judge following a disputed call in the semi-final against Alexander Bublik, losing all his prize money and ranking points for the week.

That decision was later overturned with points and money reinstated, but the persistent outbursts sparked concern among peers and fans.

At the Paris Masters he drew blood again from smashing his racquet into his knee.

Rublev has cited last year’s SW19 moment when he knew things needed to change and has since opened up about his mental health struggles.

“I would say it was not dealing with the issue of losing or not losing, it was not the issue even of tennis,” he revealed.

“I was just dealing with myself, just to face myself, to stop running away from myself and I was just dealing with that. What’s happening inside of me, why I feel this, why I feel that, why I am doing this? “

Away from the court, Rublev is a popular character on the Tour. He has frequently expressed his opposition to the war in Ukraine, while he also set up a clothing brand, which he wears for his matches, where all profits are used to help children with critical illnesses.

But being kinder to himself has been an issue and working more frequently with a psychologist, combined with the addition of Safin to his coaching set-up, proved crucial.

“Marat is a huge help to me. He has given some advice and said some things, but he does it not in a soft way,” explained Rublev.

“He’s super strict – he gives you the heavy truth. “

Safin, a former world number one and winner of the US Open and Australian Open, was notorious for his temper, estimating he smashed 700 racquets in his career.

That level of passion, and sheer yearning to succeed, which the two share is never going to be stamped out all together.

But while Rublev has yet to win a Tour title this season, he showed improved control over his emotions at the Doha Open by winning three consecutive three-set matches, despite dropping the second set in all three and winning dramatic final-set tie-breaks in two of them.

“I know that everything is connected. If you feel some problems with yourself, it will affect everything,” he added.

“Sooner or later you will have problems with your family, with relationships, with work, everywhere. When you have peace with yourself, then the rest takes cares of itself. “

But Rublev has learned to understand it doesn’t have to all be about winning. For now at least, that is enough.

“There are two options,” he said. “Try to go deeper. Or if I lose, to lose it in a mature, adult way.

Second Test, Grenada (day two of five)

Australia 286 & 12-2: Green 6*; Seales 2-5

West Indies 253: King 75, Campbell 40; Lyon 3-75

Australia lead three-Test series 1-0

Australia’s lost both openers before the close as they finished 12-2 against West Indies on day two of the second Test, having bowled their opponents out for 253.

Jayden Seales broke the stumps of Sam Konstas for a four-ball duck then trapped Usman Khawaja lbw for two, with Australia taking a 45-run lead into day three.

John Campbell added 40 and Brandon King top-scored for the West Indies with 75, while a 51-run partnership between bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph ensured the home side would come close to parity with Australia’s first innings 286.

Australia won the first Test in Barbados by 159 runs on day three, in a game where neither team passed 200 in the first three innings, and this match also looks set to be heading to an early conclusion as batters on both teams continue to struggle.

Teenage opener Konstas has now failed to make it into double figures in three of his four outings in the series, and veteran partner Khawaja hasn’t passed 20 in three innings.

Jayden Seales, who took six wickets in the first Test and one in the first innings in Grenada, blew away the two openers inside three overs as Australia failed to navigate a short spell prior to close of play.

The West Indies have a struggling opener of their own, with former captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who made four in both innings in Barbados, caught and bowled by Hazlewood in the second over of the day.

Keacy Carty was then removed for six by Cummins with the same method of dismissal, but King warded off a collapse, adding steady runs alongside Campbell, Roston Chase and Shai Hope.

Having made his maiden Test half-century in his second game in the format, he was dismissed between Chase and Justin Greaves in a flurry of wickets that left West Indies at 174-7 and at risk of a significant first innings deficit.

Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn is poised to join Serie A side Como, with the manager calling it “great business all round”.

The 25-year-old, capped by Germany up to under-20 level, joined the Scottish champions from Rapid Vienna in January last year.

He made 41 starts and 10 substitute appearances for Celtic last season, scoring 21 goals.

“We’ve virtually agreed between the club and Como so it looks at this point that he’ll be on his way, but we just have to wait for confirmation,” said Rodgers after a 1-0 friendly win over Queen’s Park.

Celtic paid a fee in the region of £3m for Kuhn, with reports suggesting Como will pay more than five times that amount.

“I think it’s very clear, the model of Celtic,” added Rodgers. “In the 18 months he’s done absolutely fantastic for us. He was aware of interest towards the end of last season and that sort of followed through.

“Other teams have joined in that interest over the summer and that’s why a lot of the young players come. It’s a wonderful, brilliant club to come to develop and improve.

Rodgers also revealed that central defender Maik Nawrocki is moving to German second-tier side Hannover on a season-long loan.

The 24-year-old Pole has managed just 18 appearances for Celtic since joining from Legia Warsaw in the summer of 2023.