Australian Open Wednesday, 17 February 2021 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Press Conference

through this year and what would be the best result D. MEDVEDEV/A. Rublev for the amount of tournaments they play?

7-5, 6-3, 6-2 ANDREY RUBLEV: I don't really understand.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. He indicated it's very hard to play with the quarantine around you that exists everywhere this Q. What made Daniil so tough to beat today? year and that it might be worth playing tournaments in a bubble. ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, first of all, Daniil was playing -- I mean, at least against me, if we take all the ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, but here I think it was a bit matches that I've played against him, today he played his different because we spent here two weeks quarantine, best level. I don't know if it's in general for sure he could but then we had normal life. We were able to go out. play even better, but against me today, I think was his We were able to have a normal life. For example, if we best match out of I don't know how many times we've do bubble, then we don't need to do quarantine because played, four times maybe. He was playing really well we just stay hotel and club. So I think it's just what the today, and he deserved to win because he was really ATP will decide. Depends I think on the conditions, how better than me. the situation in the world. So that's it. I think we will adapt. There was only two turning moments that I feel that could happen something different. It was 5-All first set that I Q. How was today's game for you, and how much had little chances that maybe if I would have broke him did your personal relationship or your history with could be different story, and second set 3-All, the break him factor into your mindset going into the game? point that I had could change also. I might win second set if I would break him that time because I had an easy, ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, mentally it was of course easy ball to finish and I didn't make it, but it's . tough because you feel always that you cannot lose focus because as soon as you will lose focus, it's going And then he was playing really -- in all the moments he to be over. Like I said, I feel today he was much better was playing much better than me, and that's it. Simple. than me. I mean, not maybe much better but he was better because then he beat me in straight sets. The Q. The whole trip to Australia has been very only two chances I had, it's 5-All first set and 3-All second successful after your year last year in the ATP Cup set, and that's it. success. You must be pleased overall. But still, I don't know even if I would make it. Okay, ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, of course in my case it's maybe I win one set and then I'm still going to lose the really success because even if we take last year, I did match. I cannot say that this was like a turning point or here fourth round, this year I did quarters. Plus last year something. I just had two chances that I didn't make I start good with the ATP Cup, or ATP Cup with two titles, today, but it's tennis; it's part of it. but this year I win ATP Cup, and then I took also a lot of points, which put me in a good position at the beginning Q. Is it a goal of yours moving forward to beat him in of the year. We'll see. It's the beginning of the season, the future, and do you think you can do that? so it's going to be a long, long season, and I hope I can show great level, not only now but for the rest of the ANDREY RUBLEV: I mean, it's not a goal, but for sure I season. think it will happen. We're going to play I hope for many, many years, so at least once I think I will have a chance Q. last night talked about the (laughing). Because every time I play him -- at the US difficulty for the players, the quarantine Open I had chances; I had set points. Here I had break arrangements for the rest of the year. Do you have a points. And then one day it's going to be my day. view of what maybe the players can expect to go

104736-1-1002 2021-02-17 07:40:00 GMT Page 1 of 2 Q. How difficult is it to find the right balance playing-wise against Daniil because you can attack and he's always defending so well, but if you don't attack as much he steps in right away and attacks you. How difficult of a challenge does he pose with that style?

ANDREY RUBLEV: Yeah, that's why it's tough in a way that you need to be focused 100 percent every point, because as soon as you relax or something, then he will use this opportunity. That's why it's important always, even if I'm not attacking, because maybe he take advantage and he start to attack, still to try to bring all the balls back, because there for him it's also not easy. I'm not the only one who's suffering; he's also suffering because in the end for him it's tough to be always the one who needs to attack and then suddenly again to defend. So in the end both of us is suffering. So in the end it's just to keep focus because in some games I was doing a bit mistakes too early, maybe with one shot, two shots was out, even playing rally.

Q. You've played four quarterfinals but you couldn't win one set. Do you feel extra pressure in that round?

ANDREY RUBLEV: No. I don't know what to say. No. I mean, it's just -- the first time I was a kid, so there was not even match against Rafa.

The second time I had set points from a tiebreak but I didn't make it. It happens.

The same thing with Stefanos. I was trying to win a set and I didn't make it because I get a bit tight, but it's a part of it. Even when I'm playing quarterfinals or something sometimes I'm up with a break and then I'm losing my . This is normal.

Also today was a few chances and I didn't make it. Maybe next tournament is going to be the same story in the semifinal or the same story in the first round and I will lose first round. So it's not only about quarterfinal.

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