Hong Kong Open doubles finalist Andrey Rublev says fewer tournaments just ‘an illusion.

Russian likens prospect of tennis bosses agreeing to a calendar cut to chances of his taking every day off and reaching world No 1.

Andrey Rublev has said there was no point in dreaming about “the ideal” of tennis bosses listening to players and scaling back their bloated calendar. World No 16 Rublev, a 10-time grand slam quarter-finalist, finished last season feeling “exhausted and burnt out” after playing 26 tournaments across 15 countries and four continents. He ultimately drew a line under his campaign in October, but a season that began on December 27, 2024 climaxed with the ATP and Davis Cup finals in November, and the Next Gen finals from December 17 to 21. After two months off the tour treadmill and an off-season boot camp overseen by coaches including fellow Russian Marat Safin, Rublev has looked fresh and sharp at this week’s Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open.

After contesting the match of the tournament, his almost three-hour singles semi-final defeat by No 1 seed Lorenzo Musetti on Saturday, Rublev almost immediately stepped back on court to partner Karen Khachanov to a doubles semi-final victory.

Despite the restorative effects of time away, Rublev said the prospect of the sport’s chiefs condensing the season was as likely as his being able to “not lift a finger, rest for 24 hours every day and still be world No 1”.

“The conversation [about fewer tournaments] is an illusion,” he said. “It’s an ideal, there’s no point dreaming about something that can’t happen now.”

ATP rules stipulate that every year, fitness permitting, top-30 players must compete in the four grand slams, nine Masters 1000 events, four ATP 500 tournaments and, if they qualify, the ATP Finals. The number of ATP 500 competitions was last week cut from five to four in a fudged compromise attempt by the men’s governing body. “Everyone wants to not work and rest all the time; if you can do this and be No 1 in the world, tell me where to sign,” Rublev said. “But I can’t dream of reaching No 1 that way, and [shortening the season] is the same. “If there is a moment we can talk about cancelling some tournaments, or squeezing the season, and the majority of players want it, then perfect. Until that happens, it’s just an illusion or hope. Talking about it now doesn’t change anything.”

Rublev appeared vexed by the slippery nature of the Victoria Park Tennis Stadium court during his loss to Musetti, and he suffered a heavy fall in the final set. Asked for his thoughts on the surface, the 28-year-old bit his tongue, saying only: “No, it doesn’t matter, the conditions are the same for everyone.”

Rublev said his game was shot through with improvements in Hong Kong, but that “some mistakes I keep repeating”

“I have to learn from them, that is how you change,” he said. Pressed on which areas he needed to refine, the 17-time tour title winner laughed and said: “Personal things … I’m not going to tell all my opponents.” Safin, the two-time grand slam champion, joined Rublev’s coaching team last year and has been credited with helping the player banish some of his mental demons. Rublev recently described an unforgiving off-season regime under Safin, fellow coach Fernando Vicente and his conditioning experts.

He began days with 2½ hours of fitness training followed by two hours of tennis, and described the routine as “killing me … but this push is all for me”. “[Safin] has had a lot of influence on me,” Rublev said. “He’s made huge improvements in my game and my mindset – huge.” Rublev and Khachanov will face Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego in Sunday’s doubles final. Italian Musetti’s singles final run has earned him a two-position jump to world No 5.

“He’s very talented and is in good physical condition,” Rublev said. “He’s fast and can hit the ball hard … he’s one of the best now.”