Andrey Rublev has honest tip for young people struggling with depression

08/13/2024 08:45 PM

Andrey Rublev is sharing some mental health tips after opening up about his battle with depression as the Russian tennis star suggests that always being at clear with your actions and feelings is a great way to get a good picture of what you should be doing and what to avoid.

At this past Montreal Masters, Rublev drew attention to himself with his play but also with his personal revelations which explained some of the outbursts and meltdowns he has had over the last couple of years. So when the 26-year-old confessed that he felt "mentally out of order" and "burnt out" before everything started "exploding" on the court, he was applauded for speaking up about it.

And after a pretty positive reaction to the Rublev depression revelation, a reporter asked the world No. 6 if he had any advice for young people who may be going through a very rough time. 

"Tough question because I also need that advice (laughing). I mean, the one thing I guess I hope I learn and I would like to learn when I was more younger is to... how you say this... to do everything aware. Like any decision you take or any feeling you are feeling or emotions, to be aware of that, where exactly it's coming from, why, and to be aware that it's your decision," Rublev explained.

"Not because... how you say (it)... most of the people put this in your head and you kind of thinking that way, but you do not understand that it's not really your opinion or because they educate you that way or something. So to be aware of each step, each feeling you are having, to make sure it's your own because when you're living the life how you would like, you feel much better. That's it. 

"Otherwise, it's just kind of a lie to yourself. Then that's why I guess we all start to struggle because deep inside we understand that something is wrong, something is wrong, but we don't want to accept this."

After upsetting world No. 1 Jannik Sinner en route to making the Montreal final, Rublev was certainly the favorite to beat Alexei Popyrin in the final and clinch his third Masters title. But in the end, it was the 25-year-old Australian who ended up winning his maiden title at the 1000 level after stunning the Russian 6-2 6-4.

Rublev didn't make a good start at all, losing his serve in the first and fifth games - all while missing out on two break points in the fourth game and two another break point chances in the sixth game. 

Just like the first set, the second also started with Popyrin breaking Rublev in the opening game of the set. While Rublev managed to get the break back in the sixth game, his woes continued and he dropped his serve again in the seventh game before Popyrin served out for the title in the 10th game.

Later, Rublev admitted that he crumbled under the pressure since he expected himself to win. 

"I don't think that was the case tonight. It's just me with myself. I couldn't handle I guess, and that's it. So it's not that I was favorite or not favorite. It's just more that I was probably after all the matches feeling, 'Okay, I'm playing really well, I deserve to have a full week, you know, and in the end I kill myself (laughing),'" Rublev said.

Rublev may not have won Montreal but it was still a great week tennis-wise but also in the way he carried himself on the court. And after the Dubai drama from earlier this year and some similar incidents, the 26-year-old is happy that he is making improvement in that aspect. 

"Yeah, yeah, of course. Like I say, since I started to be more clear in my head, every week I'm doing better and better. This week I feel really proud of myself. I feel really proud in some things that I was able to kind of react in a good way in some moments, in some matches because normally I would react completely different way. I guess I would not be a finalist. So I'm really proud that I was able to react in the right way, and it makse me grow. The final, still need to learn a bit more (laughing). Still not enough," Rublev noted.

Now, Rublev is set to play at the Cincinnati Masters where he has a first-round bye as the sixth seed before facing either Zhang Zhizhen or Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard.