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Andrey Rublev's conduct during his clash with Holger Rune at the 2023 Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) Grand Final in London has sparked outrage among fans.
Rublev and Rune battled it out in a riveting semifinal clash, vying for a coveted spot in the final. The Dane eventually won 20-10, 12-11, 16-11 to advance to the final against eventual champion Jack Draper.
Their clash took a dramatic turn when Andrey Rublev grew infuriated after the chair umpire seemingly failed to notice his signal to use a "next point counts three" card at the end of the second quarter.
The World No. 5 engaged in a heated argument with the umpire and supervisor, insisting on a replay of the point. Despite his outburst, his request was denied, resulting in Rune taking a 2-0 lead.
The Russian attempted a different tactic to signal for the "next point counts three" card in the third quarter. He climbed onto the umpire's chair and controversially stuck his hand in the umpire's face to ensure his signal wasn't missed, a move that was widely criticized by tennis fans.
Given Andrey Rublev's history of on-court outbursts, one fan emphasized that the Russian needs to seek professional help to mend his behavior:
"I love Rublev, but he definitely needs help. ... he was also bashing his leg with the racket again in an earlier match. Things are only going to get worse for him unless something changes."
Other fans were perplexed by the World No. 5 exhibiting such behavior during a mere exhibition event.
"Mentally, he's no better than a child, worst of all that's an exhibition," a fan shared.
"Acting like this in an exhibition is pretty embarassing, he really needs to change his on court behavior," another fan chimed in.
Meanwhile, one user criticized UTS London's social media handle for advertising the incident as an 'incredible moment.'
"To glorify this shameful and disrespectful action by Rublev is unbelievable. What's going on with you @uts_tour_?" the user posted.
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
Andrey Rublev: "Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are much more stable than me psychologically"
In a recent interview, Andrey Rublev candidly discussed the areas of his game that need improvement.
The Russian made an honest admission about lacking psychological stability, especially compared to Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
"The main thing, of course, is psychology. This is what I miss the most compared to Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. They are much more stable than me psychologically," Andrey Rublev said.
"Even if I only improve my psychology and second serve, it will be a completely different tennis," he added.
The World No. 5 also cited his "strong resentment" towards himself as the catalyst behind his on-court outbursts.
"I have such strong resentment towards myself that I no longer know what else to do to give myself a sign that it’s time to wake up. All this leads to this outburst of anger," he explained.
Andrey Rublev kicks off his 2024 season at the ATP 250 Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open, which is scheduled for January 1-7.
