Marat Safin back in the game: Andrey Rublev’s coach gets visa in time for US Open

Don’t call it a comeback—Andrey Rublev’s summer hard-court swing has been all about building momentum, and the 27-year-old is set to get a major boost after the Cincinnati Open.

After posting strong results across North America—semifinals in Los Cabos and back-to-back quarterfinals in Toronto and Cincinnati—Rublev is about to have his coach Marat Safin physically back in his corner. The Hall of Famer had been offering guidance all summer from a distance after visa issues kept him away from the U.S.

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That changes now. Dinara Safina, Marat’s younger sister and a former WTA world No. 1, confirmed on a Russian-language podcast with Anna Chakvetadze that the visa is finally sorted.

“Will Marat Safin surprise us with a visit? Did he receive a visa?” Chakvetadze asked. Safina replied, “(Yes), he’s going to pick up (his passport) on the 13th.” When Chakvetadze followed up—“So, Marat Safin will be with Andrey Rublev at the US Open?”—Safina confirmed again.

It’s been a year of change for Rublev, both on and off the court. On court, he’s been more willing to step in and finish points at the net, while off of it he’s been focused on mental health.

“Well, for sure I did huge improvements, but in the end it's daily work, daily routine, daily challenge,” Rublev said in Cincinnati earlier this week. “(You need) to be aware (of yourself), and it's very challenging because it's easy to do everything automatic.”

👉 Read More: "Both of us deserved to win": Andrey Rublev outlasts Alexei Popyrin in Cincinnati nailbiter

There’s been staffing turnover too. Rublev told Tennis.com he parted ways with Alberto Martin—his second coach with a background in sports psychology—after Rome following Safin's arrival. The two began working together in 2023 alongside Fernando Vicente, who remains head coach.

“We have a really good relationship with him,” Rublev said. “Alberto is… really one of the nicest guys that I ever met. He's a really amazing coach. We didn't finish nothing in a bad way or something like that, but yeah we go our separate ways after Rome.”

Safin, a two-time Grand Slam champion, has known Rublev for years and the pair share a similar background—making them a natural, if eclectic, fit. Safin supported the 27-year-old last year when his mental health was at its lowest, and officially joined the team for the clay season. Despite being a steady presence at European tournaments, Safin missed the North American swing until now.

“Everything is great,” Rublev said. “I like a lot his advices—just in general, the things that he sees, the way he sees those things, and that's it. Hopefully he’s coming to US Open and we will have more memories.”

For now, Rublev is still in the thick of Cincinnati—where every win this week has been personal payback:

• Second round: Defeated Learner Tien 7-6 (4), 6-3, avenging his Washington, D.C. opening-round upset
• Third round: Defeated No. 21 seed Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 7-5 in a three-hour, 30-minute battle, reversing their 2024 Canada Open (Montreal) final result.
• Fourth round: Defeated Francisco Comesana 6-2, 6-3, avenging his shock 2024 Wimbledon first-round loss to the Argentine.

Next up: a Friday quarterfinal with No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz—and another opportunity for revenge. The Spaniard beat Rublev in the Wimbledon fourth round earlier this summer, rallying from a set down to extend his head-to-head lead to 3-1.

“(I learned) that I must keep working, that I’m on the right path and this is the level that I need to aim for to be able to compete,” Rublev told Bolshe! about the Wimbledon loss. “At that level, one or two points and you get broken. Against players like that, you have to play at that level for four and a half hours without losing focus even slightly. That’s what I’m aiming for.”

No. 9 seed Rublev will face Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals on Friday—tune in on Tennis Channel.