Next Gen ATP Finals

Sunday, 12 November 2017

Andrey Rublev

Press Conference

H. CHUNG/A. Rublev

3-4, 4-3, 4-2, 4-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you going to swallow this loss? Because you were actually dictating in the rallies today.
ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, it's true. I was playing much better than him. I was, like you said, dictating the match, and then just because I get -- I let my emotion go out and everything changed, because Chung, he was always there. He was always focused. He was always in the match. No matter if something goes wrong, he was still fighting.

And me, from the little thing, I just lose my control and that's it. I just lose because of my head.

Q. Congrats on the great tournament. Moving forward, how do you kind of plan to work on that or how do you work on the mental side and stay calm on the court?
ANDREY RUBLEV: Well, I mean, I don't think that there is something that it's tough to work. You just have to, no matter what's happening, you just need to forget the points, no matter how tough it is, and just focus on the next one. And like this, mentally you're always stable and that's it. And like this, you can win matches. Even if you play really bad, you still can win matches.

Q. With Chung undefeated here, can you try and explain to us what makes him so difficult to face?
ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, in my opinion, first of all, he have really good shots. He have amazing legs. And I think his main and the best, I think, is that mentally he's really strong. No matter what, he never give up. He always fighting.

If he feel he's losing, he still always there. He never complain. He never shows emotion.

That's why most of the time he win tough matches. When the matches are close, he always win, because mentally, no matter what, he always there. That's what's happen to me with us today. I was playing better, I was controlling the match, but in one point I let my emotion go out, and when he was losing he was still focused. And that's it.

Q. Obviously you're disappointed with the loss, but in a week or two you'll probably look back at the year and reflect on it. What do you think of your second half especially?
ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, of course in general is great season for me because I win my first title. I did quarterfinal on few tournaments. I did quarterfinal at Grand Slam.

But still there is a lot of up-and-downs. I can play one tournament good, and then next two tournaments I'm losing first round.

This is the main thing that I need to learn, to be more stable, to play more consistence. I still need to work on my body to be more physically strong. To compete with a guy like Chung I have to be double faster than I am now, because I'm playing with them only because of my shots, and if I will have also strong body and I will run fast it will be more easy for me.

And we'll see. Now preseason is coming, and I'm going to put as much work as possible for this preseason.

Q. You said in one game you lost, you go out emotion. What is this crucial game you lost control?
ANDREY RUBLEV: Especially second set when I was serving for the set, 3-2, and then tiebreak, this five, six minutes when I was showing my emotions, complaining, and he was just quiet and just playing point by point.

And me, one point mistake, then complaining. Another mistake, and he just keep it, keep all my mistakes and won the set. That's was the main change.

Q. Do you think when you do kind of, like you said, let your emotion get the better of you, do you think that's your competitive drive just kind of coming out? What do you think is behind that overall?
ANDREY RUBLEV: No, it's just maybe my personality. This is, I mean, just the way I am. I have to learn how to be -- I mean, I understand that I have to change, and I agree. I will try to do my best.

I think even if you compare me in the beginning of the year, still I'm much better. Mentally I'm much better. I'm controlling better my emotions. But still, there is long way to go. If I want to compete with good players, it's not enough.