Andrey Rublev looks to keep the momentum going at Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Russian delivered at the Davis Cup before winning the Kremlin Cup

Andrey Rublev is one of the brightest talents of the ATP Tour’s next generation. EPA

Momentum can be a powerful force in professional tennis, so it is little wonder Andrey Rublev has refused to rest between seasons.

Rublev, 22, ended his 2019 campaign late but on fire, winning all four matches in the revamped Davis Cup in Madrid to help Russia reach the semi-finals. A few weeks earlier, he had collected his second ATP Tour title at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

While most players take themselves off to a paradise island for a well-earned holiday, Rublev went straight to the practice courts. Four weeks later, he is in Abu Dhabi ready to make his second appearance at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC).

“I’m not worried at all,” Rublev said when asked if he was concerned about a lack of rest. “For me it’s not really important. Before Madrid I didn’t play for seven days – no holiday, but I didn’t play – so for me it doesn’t matter if I stay home for that time or go somewhere else, it’s the same.”

Rublev has plenty reason to want to keep the good times going. Undoubtedly one of the brightest talents of the ATP Tour’s next generation, injury has played a cruel part in disrupting his career over the past two seasons.

There was the three months on the sidelines in 2018 with a lower back stress fracture, before a six-week layoff in the middle of 2019 with a wrist problem. While the likes of Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Daniil Medvedev were winning big titles, Rublev had become something of a forgotten man.

However, he provided plenty of reminders during the second half of last season as to why he should be placed alongside his contemporaries as a player to help lead the future of men’s tennis. His performance against Roger Federer at the Cincinnati Masters – where the Swiss suffered his fastest defeat in 16 years – was pure brilliance and demonstrated just how good a fit and firing Rublev can be.

Rublev went on to reach a career-high No 22 in the world rankings, one place higher than he currently occupies, so he is understandably excited to get the new season underway.

“The main goal for me is to keep the same level and to try and improve,” he said. “To do my best every day and to focus on the things I need to focus on, because if I improve these little things it will raise my level and better results will come.”

One key area Rublev admits he needs to work on is his mentality. A ferocious ball-striker with a cannon of a forehand, the Russian can be prone to losses of temperament and composure.

“The main thing is mentality because there is still huge, huge room to improve and I can be much stronger,” he said.

“If you look at me half a year ago, it is much better now and it is still getting better, but if you look at other players there is still huge difference between us in mentality, they are much stronger, so this is the main part I need to improve.”

Two players famous for their rock-solid mentality are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who will also be competing at MWTC this week, and Rublev is ready to test his game against the very best players in the world.

“I hope I can show a good level here,” he said. “It is amazing preparation to play with such great players here for the upcoming season.”