World number nine Andrey Rublev has added two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin to his coaching team ahead of the European claycourt swing but the Russian said he is well aware that his compatriot will only stick around if he enjoys the job.
Rublev has struggled to keep his emotions in check at times during matches and his outbursts have overshadowed his game, but the 27-year-old said after a run to the Doha title in February that conversations with his idol Safin had helped him.
Having formally hired the former world number one ahead of this week’s Monte Carlo Masters, Rublev is hoping for a long and successful partnership with the former Australian Open and U.S. Open champion.
“I hope for really long, but it depends if he will enjoy to work with me or he will suffer,” Rublev told reporters.
“Because if he would feel that I’m not doing the things or I’m not listening, I don’t think he will waste his time.
“For the moment I’m just trying to listen and to try new things. We’ll see how it will work, or what it will bring, or what’s going to happen.”
Safin was no stranger to outbursts, having broken dozens of rackets on court during his career and Rublev hoped the 45-year-old’s experience in dealing with his problems would be useful.
“He had his own struggles that he went through and I was always afraid to ask (about) those things, but inside I always wanted to,” Rublev said.
“In the end, when I found out that he was also ready and he was looking maybe to work in tennis, it was like, ‘Okay, I have to at least try … I have to ask’.”
Rublev takes on French veteran Gael Monfils in the second round of Monte Carlo.
