Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev has taken a stand against the U.S. Open’s fine for profanity during a match following his second-round match. The 24-year-old, ranked No. 15 in the men’s singles, was fined $3,000 for using foul language. Rublev expressed frustration with the fine, arguing that self-directed comments should not result in penalties. He believes that such language is a common occurrence in sports, especially in high-stakes moments.
“Depends on the situation,” he said in a quote from The New York Post. “When you are talking to yourself in a bad way, it’s my decision how I do it. You cannot, in my opinion, you cannot charge for this. If you talk to the referee or umpire with bad words, yes, like when you do it towards someone or you scream on all courts, yes, obviously. But when you talk to yourself, it’s your decision how you talk. It doesn’t matter even if the umpire hears what you are saying or not for this. I don’t think so.”
Rublev added that “in all of sports” it is a normal occurrence for expletives to be said, especially “in the crucial moments.” This argument is not unique to Rublev—fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev had previously faced a $42,500 fine for an outburst during the 2025 U.S. Open. Medvedev’s frustration, which was widely reported, was triggered by an incident where a photographer walked across the court during play, affecting the match’s momentum. Medvedev, who is also Rublev’s godfather to his children, offered support to his compatriot after the incident made headlines.
“If he wants to change and needs help he has me, a lot of other friends and family that will help him,” Rublev said. The fine for Medvedev was significantly higher than Rublev’s, which highlights the discrepancy in how umpires and officials treat such incidents. Rublev, however, maintained that the U.S. Open’s decision to fine him was unjust, especially given the context of competition.
Rublev’s resilience shone through as he advanced past Coleman Wong in a five-set third-round match. The match was a thrilling battle, with Rublev losing the first set 6-2 before taking the next two, 6-4, 6-3. Wong made a comeback with a fourth-set victory, 6-4, but Rublev ultimately prevailed in the fifth set, 6-3, to move on to the Round of 16. His upcoming match will be against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, the 25th-ranked men’s singles player.