Australian Open: defiant nearly man Rublev keeps grand slam belief ahead of awkward start
World No 9 Andrey Rublev face teenage prospect Joao Fonseca in first round clash in Melbourne, fit-again Nishikori backed to fire
A defiant Andrey Rublev said he was going into this year’s Australian Open convinced he could banish his grand slam jinx and win an overdue first major of his decorated career.
Rublev, who slipped one place in the world rankings to No 9 after his Bank of China Hong Kong Open second-round exit to Fabian Marozsan last week, has won two ATP Masters 1000 titles, an Olympic gold medal and the Davis Cup.
But success in any of the big four competitions has eluded him. The 27-year-old has never gone beyond the last eight of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon or US Open. Moreover, he is the only man in the open era to have lost his first 10 grand slam quarter-final matches.
In his three Australian Open quarter-finals, Rublev has been beaten by either the eventual champion or runner-up. The 2023 and 2024 winners, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, respectively, overcame Rublev in the last eight, while 2021 losing finalist Daniil Medvedev toppled his fellow Russian at the same stage.
Rublev has been handed a tricky Australian first-round tie, against Joao Fonseca on Monday.
“I don’t want to think too much about whether I can win a grand slam, but I believe I can do it,” Rublev said. “If I don’t believe in myself, I have no chance, so yes, I have the belief I can win a major.
