Andrey Rublev broke his silence on Monday following the controversial conclusion to his stint at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships, expressing gratitude to fans and the tennis community for their backing while pledging to “learn and grow” from the incident.
The Russian player faced a default at 6-5 in the third set of his semifinal clash with Alexander Bublik last Friday over alleged verbal abuse directed at an official in Russian, a charge Rublev vehemently denied.
He lodged an appeal with the ATP, and just before he released his statement, the tour announced its decision: Rublev would retain his ranking points and prize money from the tournament but would be fined $36,400.
In its statement, the ATP emphasized that the usual penalties linked with a default were deemed excessive in this instance after reviewing video evidence and considering testimonies from players and officials.
Rublev’s social media post also called for a review of the rule by the ATP, advocating for video review in cases of potential defaults—a sentiment shared by many in the tennis community since the incident occurred.
“I want to thank the appeal committee for reversing the initial decision to disqualify me from the Dubai semifinal and rescind my ranking points and prize money,” Rublev wrote in his statement. “I hope that going forward, the ATP will reassess this rule and introduce changes to ensure that officials cannot influence match outcomes without clear evidence and the player’s right to video review.”
Rublev also expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support he received from fellow players, former pros, coaches, and fans following the incident, promising to use the experience to improve both as a player and as an individual.
“While I’m disappointed that I couldn’t finish my semifinal in Dubai, I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming support I’ve received over the past few days,” Rublev remarked. “I’ve received countless messages of encouragement.
“Thank you to everyone who has stood by me. I am determined to learn from this incident and strive to become a better player and person.”
Rublev is now preparing to return to action at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this week, where he will enter as the fifth seed behind Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev.
