Andrey Rublev names the ATP tournament he managed to win while still feeling ‘super sick’

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Andrey Rublev has endured a strange start to his 2025 season, as he struggles to find consistency.

The Russian began his year with a shock defeat at the Australian Open, when Rublev lost to Joao Fonseca in three sets.

He failed to impress at his next two tournaments in Montpellier and Rotterdam, before Rublev won the Qatar Open, seemingly out of nowhere.

Since then, Rublev has won just two matches on the ATP Tour and looks set to drop out of the world’s top ten.

Looking to return to winning ways at this year’s Madrid Open, the Russian reflected on the time he won the biggest title of his career while feeling ‘super sick’.

Andrey Rublev won the 2024 Madrid Open while feeling ‘super sick’

Speaking on the ATP Tour’s YouTube channel, Rublev looked back on how he felt physically during his second Masters 1000 title win.

“For sure, the title in Madrid, the things I faced there, I never faced in my life,” he said.

“I was super sick there, basically. I could not eat, I could not sleep.”

Remarkably, the sickness allowed Rublev to find an extra gear, which helped him secure victory.

“That sickness somehow gave me disconnection from all my personality. So I was not thinking about anything related to my life,” he said.

“Only that I hope if I lay [in bed] for an extra five minutes I feel a bit better.

“With that thought, somehow my head was completely clear, and feeling the worst physically, I was playing some of my best tennis.”

His best tennis saw him take down the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz on his way to the final.

• 2024 Madrid Open SF – Andrey Rublev beat Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 6-3
• 2024 Madrid Open QF – Andrey Rublev beat Carlos Alcaraz, 5-6, 6-3, 6-2
• 2024 Madrid Open 4R – Andrey Rublev beat Tallon Griekspoor, 6-2, 6-4
• 2024 Madrid Open 3R – Andrey Rublev beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 7-6, 6-4
• 2024 Madrid Open 2R – Andrey Rublev beat Facundo Bagnis, 6-1, 6-4

Rublev then beat Felix Auger-Aliassime to lift a Masters 1000 title for the second time in his career, having won in Monte-Carlo one year earlier.

The world number eight would no doubt love to repeat the feat in 2025 and retain both his title and place in the top ten.

Andrey Rublev’s route to the 2025 Madrid Open title

Rublev advanced to the third round of the 2025 Madrid Open without ever taking to the court, as Frenchman Gael Monfils withdrew from the event.

His route to the final is tough, however, and he could face a tricky test against in-form Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.

• 3R – Alexander Bublik
• 4R – Ben Shelton
• QF – Alexander Zverev
• SF – Taylor Fritz
• F – Novak Djokovic

Rublev and Zverev have faced off ten times previously on the ATP Tour, with the German enjoying the better of proceedings, winning on seven occasions.

The Russian did, however, win their most recent encounter on clay, securing his place in the 2023 Bastad semi-finals with a comfortable straight sets win.

If he were to advance past Zverev things likely wouldn’t get much easier as he could then take on two players he holds a losing record against in the semi-finals and final.

• SF – Taylor Fritz (4-5)
• F – Novak Djokovic (1-5)

Only time will tell if Rublev can defy the odds and defend his Madrid Open title, but it certainly looks like he’ll be up against it.

Rublev will make his first appearance at this year’s tournament on Sunday, April 27, when he takes on Alexander Bublik for a place in the fourth round.