Andrey Rublev shares he didn’t feel like living in mid-2024 as his inner thoughts were becoming too much and he was at the point where he started wondering if he could take it anymore.
Last year, the Russian had a couple of stunning meltdowns and outbursts – he infamously lashed out at a line umpire in Dubai and there were also moments when he would take his frustration on himself.
Andrey Rublev© YouTube screenshot
As it was happening, fans but also some members of the tennis community were pointing that something deeper may be the reason behind those moments.
And now, Rublev admits that he was battling a major depressive episode and that he wasn’t doing well at all off the court.
“That was the worst moment that I face about myself. It was not about tennis. It was to do with myself, like after that moment I don’t see the reason of living life,” the 27-year-old told The Guardian.
“Like, what for? This sounds a bit too dramatic but the thoughts inside my head were just killing me, creating a lot of anxiety, and I couldn’t handle this anymore. I start to have a bit of bipolar.”
Rublev: I turned to antidepressants but it was Marat Safin who helped me
As his mental health was worsening, the world No. 9 turned to antidepressants.
While that didn’t help, one other thing did – speaking with Russian tennis legend and his mentor Marat Safin.
“I was taking anti-depression tablets and it was not helping at all. In the end I said: ‘I don’t want to take anything anymore.’ I stopped all the tablets and Marat Safin helped me a lot with conversation,” Rublev revealed.
After making this revelation, the Russian also shared that Safin “made me realize many things” and also added that he started working with a psychologist.
Also in the interview, Rublev noted that he is now “doing a lot better” but also acknowledged that he is “still not in a place where I would like to be.”
Tennis World USA