Andrey Rublev believes anti-doping regulations in tennis are stricter than in other sports and has called for a greater understanding of the matter.
The Russian world No.8 has weighed in on the topic when speaking about Jannik Sinner’s two failed drugs tests earlier this year during Indian Wells. Sinner tested positive for clostebol but was cleared to continue playing on the Tour after an independent tribunal concluded he was accidentally contaminated with the substance by his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi. Naldi was using a spray on his hand for a cut that contained clostebol. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is appealing against the ITIA’s verdict to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as they believe their findings are ‘not correct under the applicable rules”. It is not known when the CAS hearing will take place.
“You wouldn’t wish that on any player. I can’t imagine the stress or anxiety he felt during that whole period,” Rublev said of Sinner’s case during an interview with the AFP news agency.
“He handled it very well, he continued to play at his best and still managed to dominate the circuit and win titles. It’s very impressive.”
Iga Swiatek has also failed a drugs test this season after testing positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) but was able to prove that it was due to a contaminated drug (melatonin) she was using to treat jet lag. She was issued with a total suspension of one month with 22 of those days taking place before she presented evidence of the contamination.
The high-profile cases have placed anti-doping controls in tennis into the spotlight with some players admitting they are being more cautious about what they take. Meanwhile, Rublev argues that there should be more understanding of the matter.
“I think the anti-doping system should be a little more understandable,” he said.
“In tennis, the rules are super strict, more so than in other sports. I feel that every little mistake, even when it’s not intentional, can threaten your career.”
Trying to reach the top
On the court, Rublev has won two titles this year with the most prestigious of them being at the Madrid Masters. He was also runner-up to Alexi Popyrin at the Canadian Masters. In the Grand Slams, his best run was at the Australian Open where he reached the quarter-finals. Overall his win-loss record for 2024 was 43 – 26.
However, the 27-year-old believes he still has a way to go to challenge the likes of Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
“The main aspect is of course mental, but there are also a lot of aspects of my game (to improve),” he replied when asked about the gap between him and the other two.
“I’m in the top 10, but I’m one of the worst players at the net! The other players in the top 10 manage to return balls from difficult positions; mine sometimes land outside the court. So I try to work on these kinds of details, I dedicate more time to them than before. In the past, I was only obsessed with my forehand; today, I’m a bit more open to working on other things in training.”
Rublev hopes that improving certain aspects of his game will help him win more matches and titles in the future. Perhaps a tougher challenge for him is trying to manage his emotions better when playing.
“Sometimes you progress, you progress, then you regress a little bit. There are a lot of elements that can make you lose your bearings and fall back into your old habits. Of course, I want to be the best! But it takes time.” He commented.
Rublev will begin his 2025 season at the Hong Kong Open.
