Andrey Rublev defends the trophy in this ATP Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo 2024, his most important title to date. The Russian now arrives on clay after a few complicated weeks, in which after being the protagonist of the controversy in Dubai, he still cannot find his feet.
How do you feel as defending champion?
“It is a pleasure to return here, it is always a pleasure to play on these magnificent courts. I don’t know what’s going to happen this year, but for now I’m focusing on training. I hope that playing doubles will help me start the clay court season in the best way. I try not to think too much about last year’s victory and focus on my performance,” says Rublev, according to the tournament’s official website.
How do you get to the clay court tour after an unsuccessful Indian Wells and Miami?
“In Indian Wells I was so focused on trying to control my movements that I completely blocked myself. I had no energy or strength and in Miami I exploded. I couldn’t control myself, neither my actions nor my nerves. I felt like I was paralyzed, I couldn’t move. Maybe what happened in Dubai stayed with me. Now I feel better, I have trained a lot in the last two weeks, but it is one thing to train well and another to play a game well.”
Does the one-handed backhand disappear?
“I don’t think one is better than the other. It’s just a period, but I don’t think the one-handed backhand is going away. The one-handed backhand has its advantages and disadvantages. It is easier to accelerate, open the court, get angles and make better sliced backhands, but it is obviously more difficult to get high balls and block the returns. I don’t think the one-handed backhand is ineffective. “It is very likely that we will see players in the Top 10 with a one-handed backhand.”
2024-04-07 18:00:00
#couldnt #control #actions #nerves
