Andrey Rublev addresses reports of Marat Safin's readiness to become coach months after seeking ex-World No. 1's advice

Andrey Rublev addressed reports of his compatriot Marat Safin’s desire to get into coaching during his campaign at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam. The Russian conveyed that he would be happy to see the tennis icon bag a coaching gig.

Rublev advanced to the second round in Rotterdam after a convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory against Zhang Zhizhen on Tuesday, February 4. The Russian is accompanied by his head coach, Fernando Vicente, at the event. Besides having a second coach, Alberto Martin, and fitness coach, Marcos Borderias, in his team, Andrey Rublev also resorted to advice from Marat Safin last year, mainly to tackle the mental aspect of his game.

Recently, reports emerged that Safin was willing to take up coaching, with former player Anna Chakvetadze suggesting during her conversation with his sister Dinara Safina that the two-time Grand Slam champion could be just a phone call away for Rublev.

Responding to a Sportskeeda question in that regard, the tennis player said:

"To be honest, I don’t know. I mean I know Marat really well. And he helped me a lot. I heard a bit that he was looking for some players but I don’t know. We’ll see who it’s going to be," the former World No. 5 told the media in Rotterdam.

He added that he hasn’t conversed with Safin in the past couple of months but voiced his support for the former player’s potential new role.

"I haven’t really spoken with him in a couple of months so we’ll see if he will find someone that he would like to work with. And he’ll be happy, I’ll be happy for him," he said.

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How Marat Safin helped Andrey Rublev in 2024

Andrey Rublev pictured at the 205 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam - Image Source: Getty

Andrey Rublev scripted a rollercoaster campaign in 2024. The Russian won his second Masters 1000 title at the Madrid Open, beating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz en route. He also reached the final of the Masters 1000 event in Montreal.

Despite the success, though, Rublev faced several setbacks, including multiple opening-round exits and a disqualification in Dubai.

His on-court outbursts and frequent self-harming behavior also became a talking point during the 2024 season. After his controversial Wimbledon exit, the Russian sought advice from Marat Safin, who helped him “fix his head.”

"I worked to fix my head, because the problem wasn’t with my tennis. I just focused on fixing my head," he said at the Croatia Open last year. "It’s gonna sound funny, but it’s all thanks to Marat Safin… We got in contact somehow, and that’s it. He helped me."

Rublev disclosed further details about his conversation with Safin during his interview with the Guardian at the 2025 Australian Open.

"I was taking antidepressant tablets, but they weren’t helping at all," he said. "I stopped all the tablets, and Marat Safin helped me a lot through conversations."

"He made me realise many things, and then I started working with a psychologist," Andrey Rublev added. "I’ve learned a lot about myself, and while I’m not in a happy mood or the place I’d like to be, I no longer feel that crazy anxiety and stress of not knowing what to do with my life."

Rublev, the 2021 Rotterdam champion, awaits either Fabian Marozsan or Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round on Thursday, February 6.