Andrey Rublev’s telling Carlos Alcaraz ‘weakness’ comments highlight his Wimbledon challenge
The 2025 Wimbledon Championships have been a huge positive for Andrey Rublev.
Twelve months ago, the Russian was stunned in the first round by Francisco Comesana, part of a string of results that contributed to the 27-year-old’s fall from the top 10 earlier in 2025.
Back in 2025 as the 14th seed, a refreshed and more at ease Rublev has found clarity at the tournament where he was a quarter-finalist in 2023, and is back playing some of his best tennis in months.
He defeated Laslo Djere and Lloyd Harris in four sets in his opening two rounds, before his best performance to date over qualifier Adrian Mannarino in round three.
However, Rublev now faces arguably the toughest task in tennis: taking on Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.
Two-time defending champion Alcaraz has not been at his free-flowing best this tournament, but stats rarely lie – and his recent achievements are extraordinary.
The Spaniard has now won 17 straight matches at Wimbledon, not tasting defeat at the event since 2022, and is on a 21-match win streak in 2025, not losing since the Barcelona Open final in April.
Rublev knows how to beat Alcaraz, having defeated the world No 2 in the Madrid Open quarter-finals back in 2024, an event the Russian would ultimately go on to win.
However, it was Alcaraz who won their other two contests, at the ATP Finals in 2023 and 2024, with both victories coming in straight sets.
Rublev has not faced Alcaraz since then, and the two have never met at a Grand Slam, though he has had a recent taste of facing a dominant force at one of tennis’ four biggest tournaments.
He came up against Jannik Sinner in the fourth round of the French Open last month, falling in straight sets to the world No 1.
That meeting against Sinner, and his most recent clash against Alcaraz, give the former world No 5 an intriguing insight into what it is like to take on the very best.
“What is it like to play against him [Alcaraz]? I don’t know,” said Rublev.
“But with me he play, the last matches, he played well and he destroyed me. Especially the last one in Turin. Yeah, he lost two matches [at the ATP Finals]. With me, he played unbelievable.
“I don’t know what it’s like. It’s the same feeling like with Sinner. You’re playing the best players. They know how to do everything.
“They know how to hit. They know how to defend. They know how to be patient. They know how to be strong mentally. They know how to serve, how to return.”
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It would be easy to discount Rublev on paper, but then tennis is never done on paper – as this Wimbledon has proven, perhaps more than any other Grand Slam in recent years.
The five-set format undoubtedly gives Alcaraz huge breathing room, allowing him the time to discover enough of his best tennis to prevail, even if he is not at his best throughout large stages of the match.
That certainly proved to be the case in his five-set victory over Fabio Fognini in round one and, to a lesser extent, his third-round four-set triumph versus Jan-Lennard Struff.
Despite that, he is the favourite for this match against Rublev – so what can the 14th seed do to potentially cause a significant shock?
The 27-year-old has a clear blueprint in his mind of what will be needed, but it certainly will not be easy.
He added: “It’s like: ‘Okay, I will have a chance maybe if I play also my best tennis today, then maybe I have a chance.’
“If I show weaknesses, it’s like you’re done. So you cannot show any weaknesses. That’s the difference.
“Because some matches maybe you relax a bit or you complain a bit, but still you can win because you’re too much maybe ahead in the score or you are better player.
“With them, these one or two points cost you match.”
Alcaraz and Rublev meet in the final match inside Centre Court on Sunday, with all eyes on just how close the Russian can get to the two-time champion.
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