This was a golden period for Rublev, but these times have not lasted. Just two finals were reached last year which were by far the best results of his 2025. He failed to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time since 2019 and dropped out of the top 10. He ended the year as world number 16, and that slide threatens to continue. Currently up a place to 15th, it is a very competitive part of the rankings in which he hopes to push through back into the top 10.
Rublev ‘reached limit’ on court as adaptations to game possible
Ahead of the second part of the Sunshine double, Rublev sent out a worrying message to his fans. “I feel that with my basic style, relying almost solely on my forehand and lacking a plan B, I have already reached my limit,” he ruefully admitted.
His highest ranking was fifth in the world, but that seems to be his ceiling. “I believe I squeezed everything I could to reach the top 5. Now it’s time to try changing things and see if that gives me an extra push.”
Andrey Rublev is a passionate player on court
There is something missing in the Rublev game. “I feel like I’m missing completing the puzzle,” he said. “Sometimes I do things, but not at the right moment. I come to the net when I shouldn’t or I don’t know when to change directions. When you start doing it recently, many times you decide randomly. It takes time until you really understand it.”
In full praise of Safin
Since April 2025, Rublev has been with his coach, Marat Safin, and has enjoyed his time with him. The two-time Grand Slam champion has motivated Rubev to seek adaptations to his style.
“Before it was very hard for me, I didn’t want to change,” he acknowledged. “I thought that with my forehand alone, I would never fail. But when I realised that doesn’t exist, I decided to try something different.”
He was in full praise of Safin, who despite his prior temperament on court was described as a ‘calming’ presence. Rublev himself is not afraid of a regular outburst when the spotlight is on him. “Working with Safin helps a lot,” he stated. “He brings calmness and maturity. Just having him there makes me feel calmer, as if everything will go well. He is very different from how he was when he played; he has changed a lot.”