2026 will be a very important year for Andrey Rublev's career, as he must prove that he can achieve important results between now and his retirement. The Russian ace is clearly behind champions like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz right now and doesn't have much time on his hands if he wants to try to win a Major title, given the rise of numerous young stars in recent times.
The player from Moscow began to collaborate with his illustrious compatriot Marat Safin, who gave him useful advice in recent months and followed him in the most important tournaments, but Andrey's results were quite discontinuous and there was no definitive consecration at the highest level.
He did not qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin and as he admitted in one of his last interviews his game was often too predictable, allowing his opponents to find the necessary solutions to beat him.
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Rublevis working hard
The former world number 5 is working harder than ever during the off-season and he himself confided it during a conversation with Greg Rusedski.
"My team members are literally killing me! I don't think I've ever worked so hard before the start of a season. I do two and a half hours of physical preparation, then I play tennis for two hours and the pace is very high until the last second. I hope this work will produce huge effects next year," said Rublev.
The Russian star's first huge goal in 2026 will be the Australian Open, a tournament in which he has achieved good results in the past. Fans certainly remember his shocking elimination in the 2025 edition, when he was surprised by the young Brazilian star Joao Fonseca who defeated him in three sets. The latter unleashed a performance at the limits of perfection that no one expected, demonstrating that he knows how to handle pressure despite his young age. At the end of that match, Rublev was not particularly disappointed because he knew he had faced a rival totally on fire.
