ANDREY RUBLEV HITS HIMSELF SEVEN TIMES WITH HIS RACQUET IN FURIOUS ROW AT WIMBLEDON BEFORE CRASHING OUT... A MONTH ON FROM CLAIMS THAT HE 'KILLED HIMSELF' IN FRENCH OPEN MELTDOWN
- Onlookers at Wimbledon were stunned when Andrey Rublev went into meltdown
- The Russian was livid at one of his returns and smashed himself with his racquet
- It comes after a similar meltdown at the French Open which sounded the alarm
Andrey Rublev has once again raised concerns about his welfare after he unleashed a furious tirade against himself en route to losing his first round match at Wimbledon.
The emotional Russian whacked his legs seven times with his racquet after an erroneous return in a tight match against Francisco Comesana on No 2 Court, which he went on to lose 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6.
In the fourth game of the third set, with the two players having won a set each, Comesana broke Rublev for the second time in the set to go 4-1 up, leading to a furious reaction from the Russian.
Back in May after his French Open meltdown, Rublev admitted 'I don't remember behaving worse at a Slam ever' after he kicked and screamed his way out of the Paris Slam.
Now it is his antics at Wimbledon which have sounded the alarms.
Following his meltdown Rublev struggled to regain his composure and in a tight fourth set it went to a tie-break where he soon find himself burning through challenges, eventually losing his cool and the match.
Asked about his latest meltdown by Mail Sport, Rublev said: 'I would not do it if I was able to hit the racquet on the floor... because we're not allowed to hit them with the grass.
'I don't know why in that moment, I couldn't take it any more. I needed to let emotions out. But thanks, everything is fine. Again, I was a bit lucky.'
It is clearly a problem that Rublev knows is not one that comes with a quick fix - but he needs to get to grips with his emotions on court.
'Of course, I didn't behave today as in Paris, but still I could do much better,' he said.
'This is not the way. Of course, it's the main priority, to be able during all the match to be positive.
Asked how he can get himself back to the top level, having become the first top 10 seed in the men's singles to fall, he added: 'Some matches. To win some matches to get this like kind of rhythm back. It's not easy.
'Since I lost in Paris, I think I didn't play matches for almost two weeks. Then I played only one match in Halle. Then again almost two weeks.
'When the rhythm is a bit breaking, it's not easy. You need one, two matches to again feel this confidence back. I guess that's what I need now.'
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