
As he inches closer to once again capturing the title at the Qatar Open, Andrey Rublev has admitted to drawing inspiration from a fellow athlete, professional basketball player Stephen Curry.
Rublev survived a three-set semifinal encounter against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, prevailing in a third set tiebreak. The Russian had faced a similar battle against Australian Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, saving a match point to advance in a third set tiebreak.
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Curry's mental strategies had a stabilizing effect, admits Rublev
In an interview with Russian publication, BB Tennis, Rublev shared how he borrowed some strategies from the Golden State Warriors point guard to help him focus. Rublev is known for losing his cool on the court, but the World No.10 has been searching for ways to minimize his outbursts.
"I watched a video of Stephen Curry... where he talked about some of the tricks he used to help him focus," said Rublev. "One of them was a phrase he wrote on his sneaker to remind himself, to help him trigger the right mood. I thought that a sneaker would be a really good option. It won't rub off, it’s easy to write on and it’s always there."
Rublev disclosed he would initially write words like "responsibility" on his wrist to help him curb his outbursts, but the ink quickly faded due to sweat. Therefore, the 2020 Doha champion adopted Curry's approach of writing mantras on his sneakers, ensuring they remained visible during matches.
As he attempts to regain the title at the Qatar Open, Rublev will have to get past Britain's Jack Draper in what should be a thrilling final.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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mandoist09-11-2026 - Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.
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mandoist08-11-2026 - Wtf? Why is there no reason? And what about the men's?Bel08-11-2026
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