Andrey Rublev makes astonishing revelation about avoiding ‘amputation’ by ‘hours’
Andrey Rublev has made the staggering revelation that he was “hours” away from requiring amputation due to a distressing health scare following the US Open.
The world No 6 explained the prognosis was “not very pleasant” before he underwent an operation that allowed him to avoid amputation of an unspecified limb.
Rublev was beaten by Grigor Dimitrov in a thrilling five-set contest in the fourth round of the US Open last month.
The Russian was then due to begin his Asian swing campaign at the Hangzhou Open, but he withdrew from the ATP 250 tournament.
The 26-year-old made his return to action the following week at the China Open in Beijing and reached the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event, losing to Bu Yunchaokete.
ATP News
In an interview with BetBoom Tennis, the ATP Tour’s official broadcast partner in Russia, Rublev disclosed the astonishing reason for his absence in Hangzhou.
“After the US Open I was preparing for China, and a couple of days before the flight I needed an operation, which, if not performed, could have led to amputation,” Rublev revealed.
“I was lucky that it all became clear in the first three to four hours, because after five or six hours, amputation becomes necessary. In the end, everything was done in time, and it ended better than expected.
“Before the operation, the prognosis was not very pleasant: That I would have to lie in bed for a month, that I would not be able to do anything. I am glad that I was able to come back quickly.”
Rublev, who is now set to compete at the Shanghai Masters, admitted the prospect of him featuring in the Asian swing was in doubt after his surgery.
“They told me after the surgery that I might be lucky to be in Shanghai,” Rublev said during his run in Beijing. “And then I said, ‘Okay, if I might be lucky to be in Shanghai, then there’s a chance to be in Beijing.’
“So here I am. No one [from my team] expected me to be here…”
Rublev will face world No 65 Jakub Mensik, a 19-year-old rising Czech star, in his first match at the Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. He lost to Mensik in straight sets in the pair’s only previous encounter in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open in February.
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