Andrey Rublev admitted that his behavior during his third-round defeat at the French Open was the worst he’s ever exhibited at a Grand Slam. The sixth seed fell 7-6 (8-6), 6-2, 6-4 to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, ranked 35th in the world.
Rublev’s frustration was evident from the end of the first set, where he received a warning from the umpire for throwing his racquet onto the clay. His agitation grew in the second set as he shouted at his team after being broken and bounced his racquet on the court during Arnaldi’s serves, eliciting ironic cheers from the crowd. His frustration peaked in the third set when he struck his knee with his racquet and kicked his chair multiple times.
“Completely disappointed with myself with the way I behaved, the way I performed, and I don’t remember behaving worse in a slam ever,” Rublev confessed. “I think it was the first time I have ever behaved that badly.”
Despite being a 10-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, Rublev has never advanced beyond that stage. His on-court conduct has been problematic before; he was defaulted in Dubai three months ago for unsportsmanlike behavior. However, he made efforts to maintain better composure, which helped him win the Madrid Open in May.
“I feel in some moments it is tough to be kind to myself,” Rublev remarked. “Of course if I was able, I’m sure that those moments will never happen.”
As Rublev contemplates his actions and performance, Matteo Arnaldi moves on to face ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the next round.
