Andrey Rublev is an emotional player. The Russian wears his heart on his sleeves and is often seen breaking down when things look dire for him. It was the same when he played against Emil Ruusuvuori at the Cincinnati Open last night. However, Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios took a dig at him after Rublev’s reaction started circulating online.
Nick Kyrgios has frequently been in the spotlight over the past few weeks. The Aussie star is quite active on social media, and his opinions always rile up fans.
This time around, Kyrgios mocked an emotional Andrey Rublev. He commented, “Funny for some it’s ‘raw’ & ‘showing emotions’”
Funny for some it’s ‘raw’ & ‘showing emotions’ 😂😂😂
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 16, 2023
In the clip, Rublev can be seen barely holding back his tears as he takes a seat during a changeover in the third set. Both players had won a set each when the match went into a decider. Rublev, who has broken down in the past for giving up leads, then cried into his towel.
This is not the first time Rublev has been mocked by players like Kyrgios. But he continues to be raw and vulnerable on the tennis court.
Rublev has had disappointing outings in the North American tours so far. He was defeated by Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Canadian Open. This time Ruusuvuori handed him an early defeat in Cincinnati.
Andrey Rublev vs. Emil Ruusuvuori: Match summary
Ruusuvuori’s match against Rublev turned out to be a three-set thriller. The two players clashed in the first round and fought hard for over 3 hours. Emil eventually managed to get a win over the world number 7.
The Russian was not at his best as he served up several double faults. His first serve was below par, at a weak 49 percent. This allowed the Finnish Emil to take the first set.
Rublev did make a comeback in the second set. The Russian forced the game into a decider when he took the second set. However, Rublev could not keep up with the winning momentum.
Ruusuvuori went on to knock out Rublev in the opening round itself. It is a new low for him, as Russuvuori steamrolled him 7-6(10), 5-7, 7-6(3) on his way to the next round.
This was their second clash of the year, the first being at the Australian Open. Andrey had triumphed over him then, so Emil must feel vindicated by this win. He will take on Alex Popyrin in the next round.
