Russian tennis sensation Andrey Rublev recently shared his thoughts on the unexpected appearance of the Swiss maestro, Roger Federer, during his match against Ugo Humbert at the Shanghai Masters. While Federer’s surprise appearance in the stands added a touch of glamour to the event, Rublev remained focused on the game.
Nessuna pressione ragazzi, c’è solo Roger Federer a guardarvi. pic.twitter.com/bGoovx7GfM
— Quindici Zero 🎾 (@quindicizero) October 13, 2023
Rublev commented, “No, he didn’t distract me at all. But all the people stopped focusing on the match because they were only focusing on Roger. So they weren’t watching any more tennis; they were watching only Roger.”
Rublev’s statement highlights the magnetic appeal of Roger Federer in the world of tennis. Despite the fierce competition between Rublev and Humbert, Federer’s presence stole the show and demonstrated his enduring popularity among fans. While Rublev remained composed on the court, it was clear that the audience’s attention had shifted, even if temporarily, from the action on the court to the tennis legend in the stands.
Federer’s influence and star power continue to be as strong as ever, making his presence a captivating spectacle even when he’s not the one playing.
Rublev in Shanghai, ranking, and results in 2023
Currently ranked no.7, the Russian has managed to achieve a compiled 49-20 match record in 2023. Andrey is playing in Shanghai where he beat the world no.76 Quentin Halys 6-4 7-5, the world no.23 Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-0, the world no.12 Tommy Paul 7-5 7-5 and the world no.34 Ugo Humbert 6-2 6-3.
Andrey Rublev will play the world no.19 Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinal on Saturday at 8:00 pm on STADIUM COURT. Their actual record is 3-3.
Rublev has won 2 titles in 2023 in Monte-Carlo and Bastad. Andrey was the finalist in Dubai (Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships), in Banja Luka (Srpska Open) and in Halle (Terra Wortmann Open).
Andrey won 14 titles in his career: 3 on hard courts, 5 on clay courts and 6 on indoor courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play in Paris (Rolex Paris Masters) after Vienna. The main draw will start on the 23rd of October.
