Andrey Rublev credits Marat Safin for helping him manage anxiety and depression

World number nine Andrey Rublev, aged 27, stated that discussions with two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin have significantly aided him in managing his mental challenges.

He expressed that he is now competing without the burden of stress or anxiety for the first time in several years.

Rublev has occasionally found it difficult to control his emotions during matches, with his outbursts often overshadowing his performance. However, the 27-year-old Russian recently demonstrated his capabilities by securing the title in Doha last week.

This week, Rublev returns to Dubai, where he faced a default in a match last season after a Russian-speaking official claimed he had used an obscenity while addressing a line judge.

Rublev mentioned that he has moved past that incident, along with other issues that had been weighing on him.

"I was in a loop, lost with myself for a couple of years of, I don't know, not finding the way, not understanding what to do, what for," Rublev told The National newspaper.

"It sounds a bit maybe dramatic or whatever, like what's the reason or purpose to live or stuff like that.

"It's one thing when it's happening one month, two months, three months. Maybe you still have patience... When it's coming for many years, you can't take it anymore."

Rublev mentioned that he had been on anti-depressants for a year but discontinued their use when they ceased to be effective.

A shift occurred last July following a conversation with his fellow countryman Safin, who retired in 2009. The former world number one Safin was well-known for his emotional displays, having shattered numerous rackets throughout his career.

"He made me understand myself," Rublev added.

"That was a bit of a restart from the bottom. I was able little by little to start to move in a better direction.

"I'm not happy. I'm not in a good or bad place, but I'm not feeling any more stress, I'm not feeling anxious, I'm not having depression. I'm just neutral. At least I found a base. That's a beginning."

Rublev begins his Dubai campaign against French q