Just a few days ago Andrey Rublev He commented that the emotional aspect was his Achilles heel. Controlling your mind and not getting carried away by your frustrations in the middle of a match have always been a difficult task for the Russian, who we have seen on many occasions hit himself or the racket, unable to handle the ups and downs that appear in a match. . The Muscovite seeks to constantly progress and evolve and, for this, he has added a very interesting piece to his team that seeks to help him on this issue. Is about Alberto ‘Beto’ Martinsomeone who many tennis fans from a couple of decades ago will remember.
The Spaniard came to win more than 200 parties at the ATP level, he was #34 in the world, he conquered three ATP titles and he has to his credit a victory against a number one (Lleyton Hewitt). But the thing does not stop there: just a few months ago he took his degree from Psychology at the University of Barcelona, adding a master’s degree in the subject. An enviable resume that made him the head coach of the Swiss until very recently Jil Teichmann. Together they made a leap in quality of several carats, a process that he wants to imitate in a Rublev who sights higher levels but, so far, unattainable. Who better to calm your mental demons than a psychologist with full experience in the field?
But it is Beto himself who tells ATP the ins and outs of his work with Andrey, a collaboration that began very recently. The Catalan met Andrey through his coach, Ferdinand Vincent, and began to travel as part of his work team on the Doha and Dubai tour. Things went well, strengthening her presence now in a Miami Open 2023 in which ‘Rublo’ is already in the round of 16, completing a puzzle made up of Fer himself and Galo Blanco (his manager). But, why rublev? What makes this guy special?: “He’s very warm, very calm. Andrey does things that I’ve barely seen in my life. He’s capable of signing everyone after leaving a training session, getting to be up to 45 minutes to sign, as happened in Dubai recently. He claims that it is part of his legacy, of what he would like to represent. He wants the fans to be happy with him, and we respect that.”
The human part de Rublev not only shines in front of the public. Beto makes it clear that the Russian is one of the players locker room most lovedand samples of this have not been lacking, such as the curious chat that he left a couple of days ago with a Carlos Alcaraz who was smiling from ear to ear talking to him. Another of Andrey’s differential aspects, according to Martín, is the fact that he has launched his own clothing brand, with a slogan that he speaks for itself: ‘Play for the kids, play for the light’. Although Fernando Vicente continues to serve as the main coach, Alberto has no qualms about making an analysis of the aspects that Rublev still needs to improve.
“Has to strike a balance Between calm and not going crazy at the first change, although he cannot lose the spark that characterizes him. He’s a must play very aggressive tennis: if you are passive and just push the ball, it doesn’t work. We seek to find that middle ground, and in Miami we have achieved it. We are happy with the results”sentences the former player, who makes it clear that he is not the one who calls the shots on the track, interfering “with some minimal gesture”, at most, in the boiling moments of the most temperamental Rublev.
OBJECTIVE: CONTINUE IMPROVING
Beto affirms that his player experiencePerhaps it is what he can contribute the most to Rublev. Even above his learning and knowledge of the psychological area. Beyond that, if all the pieces of his work team agree on something, it is that the Russian seeks to improve constantly, without setting specific goals, simply waiting for an evolution that will already bring results. “The objective is leap forward, Andrey has had very good years and is top-10, but the goal is to improve to get more results. If we achieve it, we will have options to achieve the objectives”Beto confesses. Jannik Sinner will be the next station for a train that brings with it a new wagon… and that wants to make a significant leap in quality.
