Sport
Rubin on the ropes
Noah Rubin, 23, admits the emotional and physical elements of tennis are already taking their toll on him after he tumbled out of Wimbledon at the first hurdle.
July 7, 2019 12:42
Noah Rubin, 23, admits the emotional and physical elements of tennis are already taking their toll on him after he tumbled out of Wimbledon at the first hurdle.
July 7, 2019 12:42Competing in the Men’s Singles for the first time — after progressing through the qualification rounds — 2014 Junior Wimbledon champion Rubin was defeated by Brit Jay Clarke – missing out on a dream match against eight-time winner Roger Federer.
“Qualifying for the first time was great,” said Rubin, who lives in Long Island, New York. “It meant a lot as I didn’t really have expectations going into the tournament as I haven’t been playing a lot to be honest.
“I’ve been taking some time off, trying to get some happiness back. I’ve been struggling on tour, so qualifying for something like this after five years was a great experience.”
Rubin won the opening set against Clarke 6-4 but a vociferous home crowd rallied Clarke who won the next three sets 5-7, 4-6, 4-6 in an epic battle.
“Court Eight was super slow,” bemoaned Rubin. “It was definitely slower than Aorangi Park and the Bank of England for qualifiers. Obviously, that is something that affected me at first. I had my chances to go up two sets to love, if I had held serve at five all and put a lot of pressure on him, but it just didn’t work out.
“The crowd were clapping on every point I missed but I was ready for that. It really didn’t affect me too much.”
But it is not only the emotional strain of the circuit that is hampering Rubin. “I’ve been dealing with a few body issues, especially cramping that comes from nowhere,” he said. “It’s been a tremendous issue and I’m trying to deal with it. I was really struggling to move late in the third and fourth sets.
“I wish it had gone differently and I had had a chance to play Federer, but that’s just how it goes.”
Rubin went on to talk about the lengthy qualification process. He said: “I’m totally against the best of five sets. I’m not saying that was the reason I lost today, but I don’t think there is a need for it. I think matches are too long and with the courts super slow with ten-ball rallies it was tough.
“Now I’m going to spend a few more days in London before returning home to relax and take some time off. I will continue to play more tournaments over the summer.
“I’m trying to find ways to at least enjoy the moment and tennis a little bit more. It’s a tough sport with a tough schedule.”
Off the court, Rubin recently set up an Instagram page titled “Behind the Racket” — which gives its audience an insight into the life of a professional tennis player.
He said: “I often talk to players who are dealing with similar issues of just not enjoying the sport any more. The tennis circuit is not always conducive to happiness. You’re dealing with it mostly on your own. The seasons are too long and it really takes its toll.
“You would think that this is a successful week for me, and it is great. But the bottom line is I lost in the first round and it’s a failure that you have in your head.”
Jonathan Erlich and Artem Sitak completed their preparations for the Wimbledon Men’s Doubles tournament by winning the Antalya ATP title on grass in Turkey.
Additional reporting by Laura Stadler