Carlos Alcaraz Calls Andrey Rublev 'Unplayable' After Practice Session
Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked world number three, described one of his rivals as "unplayable" following a recent practice match.
The 23-year-old Spaniard is seen as a future tennis great, already holding seven Grand Slam titles: two each from the US Open, Wimbledon, and French Open, plus one Australian Open crown.
This year, Alcaraz secured only one Grand Slam win due to a wrist injury that sidelined him for the French Open and Wimbledon. His fellow competitor Jannik Sinner has also faced injury challenges but may return by December.
At the Vienna Open, Alcaraz won his opening match against Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6. He now awaits the winner between Jurij Rodionov and Nikoloz Basilashvili for the next round.
Alcaraz Describes Practice Against Rublev
According to Tennis 365, Alcaraz shared his thoughts on practicing with Andrey Rublev, who was surprisingly knocked out in the first round of the tournament by American Tommy Paul.
"Sometimes it's really hard to see things for what they are, you know. When I was practicing with Rublev, I lost 6-2, but I was playing well. He was unplayable. He hit every forehand full out and powerful backhands," Alcaraz said.
"I couldn't be aggressive at all, not even on one or two shots. That’s why I left the court a little unhappy, but at the same time telling myself: okay, I’m doing the right things.
"You know, sometimes in tennis you play against someone who tries not to let you play. But that day, I left the court thinking about what I had done well. I think I did a lot of good things, to be honest. I also learned a lot from these sessions."
Interestingly, Alcaraz was not originally scheduled to compete in Vienna but accepted a wildcard entry after the Six Kings Slam got postponed until December.
Having recently faced Rublev in practice, Alcaraz might feel relief seeing Rublev eliminated early, especially since they share the same half of the draw and could have met in the quarter-finals.
If Alcaraz advances, he will likely face Tommy Paul in the quarters, but Paul must first get past Italian player Luciano Darderi in the round of 16.
