Tennis Insider Club with Caro Garcia · Caroline Garcia & Borja Duran

E5 - Andrey Rublev

·32 min·2 clips

Andrey Rublev reveals how injuries taught him to feel lucky just to play tennis, regardless of results.

This episode features an interview with professional tennis player Andrey Rublev, conducted by hosts Borja Duran and Caroline Garcia. Rublev, a recent Madrid Masters 1000 champion, discusses his career and personal philosophy. He explains that his mother, a tennis coach, introduced him to the sport, while his father and grandfather had backgrounds in boxing and wrestling. Rublev recalls preferring tennis as a child because the boxing gyms were filled with intimidating adults. He turned professional with no "Plan B," moving to Spain at 17 to work with his long-time coach, Fernando. Rublev describes Fernando as exceptionally loyal, having turned down other offers even when Rublev was injured. The player details two significant injuries: a stress fracture in his lower back and a self-inflicted broken wrist from hitting a door. He says the second injury taught him to feel "lucky" just to be able to play and travel, which helped him play more freely and improve his ranking. Rublev analyzes his aggressive playing style, noting he sometimes becomes too passive when not feeling confident, and admits struggling to channel his emotions correctly on court. He reveals he started his own clothing brand after his previous contract ended, viewing it as an opportunity, with the first collection dedicated to charity. His Instagram phrase, "play for the kids, play for the light," reflects a desire to inspire kindness in the next generation. Advice he offers to young athletes is to work hard and "kill the ego" by being humble and kind off the court. A surprising insight is Rublev's admission that early junior success made him "a bit cocky" before the professional tour showed him reality. He also shares that he sometimes finds relief and mental clarity by practicing immediately after a tough loss. The conversation is casual, introspective, and friendly, with Garcia and Duran prompting personal reflections. Tennis fans interested in the psychological journey of a top athlete will appreciate this episode. Listeners seeking highly technical match analysis or debate might find it less focused on those elements.

As heard by us

A candid look at Rublev's aggressive game, mental load, and gratitude for being able to play.

The episode stays grounded in gratitude, strain, and the practical cost of playing an aggressive style. Rublev comes across as honest about how lucky he feels to keep playing and traveling, and also about the way that same style can go flat when the ball is not there.

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Why you'd press play

Hear Rublev talk through the mindset behind his Madrid win.

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