After winning the 2024 Madrid Open, Andrey Rublev admitted that he was lucky to play, and he's now revealed what he meant by that.
Rublev struggled with an illness during the last few days of the Madrid Open and foot problems. The problem was so pronounced that he had to get anesthesia before the match just to play because the pain would have been too much.
It's actually quite similar to what Rafael Nadal was doing a few years ago at the Roland Garros when he played the whole event on a numb foot. Playing that way is incredibly hard because movement is such a huge part of tennis, especially on clay.
The Russian had to get it because he couldn't play without it. His foot was swollen, and he couldn't have played without the anesthesia.
"They gave me anesthesia in my toe, in my foot, because they became swollen and twice as big, so the pressure was on the bone. When that happens, you can't put your foot in the shoe."
"The feeling it's similar to what's broken. That's why they gave me anesthesia, so I wouldn't feel it, at least I've been able to play without thinking about it."
Besides the obvious amazement that this admission will create among fans, some will probably be worried about his Italian Open prospects. Does he take the two weeks off and focus on recovery?
Rublev hasn't been a player who skips big events like this one just to recover. The more likely thing is that he'll play at the event and take more shots to his foot if need be, regardless of whether that's smart for Roland Garros.
We'll just have to wait and see, but his Madrid Open triumph looks more amazing now with all the admissions.
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