Andrey Rublev ‘destroys’ racket in fit of rage as umpire punishes star | Tennis | Sport
Andrey Rublev was punished for smashing his racket in a moment of fury during his Vienna Open match against Cameron Norrie. The pair faced each other in the opening round of the ATP 500 event, with Norrie making a fast start to proceedings. He turned on the style in the opening set to move into an early lead as Rublev struggled to find his bearings on the court.
The man from Moscow was broken twice in the opening five games and it did not take long for him to lose his temper. After throwing away the fifth game of the match, his emotions took over and he repeatedly smashed his racket into the court. There was a collective gasp from the stunned crowd as Rublev kept going before finally stopping and taking a breather.
Robbie Koenig, who was commentating on the match for TennisTV, said: “The signature racket break from Andrey Rublev. Not the first time he’s destroyed a bat. He’s given that one the full monty.”
Rublev was subsequently hit with a code violation by the umpire as a result of his dramatic outburst. He went on to lose the opening set but fought back in the second, winning a tiebreak to force a deciding third set. However, it was Norrie who prevailed under pressure, securing a 6-2 6-7 6-2 victory.
On-court outbursts are nothing new for Rublev, who has gained a reputation for repeatedly hitting himself with his own racket. Last year, he made headlines at Wimbledon by striking his left knee to the extent he drew blood.
Explaining why he decided to hit himself rather than the court, Rublev said: “I would not do it if I was able to hit the racket on the floor, because we’re not allowed to hit them with the grass.
“I don’t know why in that moment, I couldn’t take it any more. I needed to let emotions out, but thanks, everything is fine.”
Earlier this year, Rublev revealed that his antics on the court had stemmed from depression and insisted that he was in a better place.
“I’m definitely feeling much better,” he told The Guardian. “I’m still not in a place where I would like to be but, finally, I have a base.
“I have something to step on because, half a year ago, I arrived at the worst moment of my life in terms of how I feel 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. 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 any more. I start to have a bit of bipolar.
“I don’t know if you can say it like that, but the one who made that start is me. Now I feel better. I can see the things that were happening.”