Tennis star Andrey Rublev bleeds after wild meltdown in loss to Carlos Alcaraz

Russian tennis sensation Andrey Rublev suffered a dramatic and distressing episode during his loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP World Tour Finals on Wednesday. Rublev seemed visibly agitated throughout the match, but it was after a missed shot that things went haywire. Angered by the error, he struck himself with his racket and had to receive medical aid for a bleeding injury of his own making.

Andrey Rublev receives medical attention during a 7-5, 6-2 loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

“It’s OK,” Rublev said about his bloodied knee. “I get disappointed and couldn’t manage.”

Alcaraz defeated Rublev 7-5, 6-2. Rublev suffered two losses in the group stage, including a loss to Daniil Medvedev. He will face off against Alexander Zverev next.

Andrey Rublev reacts in the Men’s Singles Round Robin match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during day four of the Nitto ATP Finals at Pala Alpitour on Nov. 15, 2023 in Turin, Italy. (Shi Tang/Getty Images)

Andrey Rublev suffered a difficult season despite being the No. 5-ranked tennis player in the world. He endured losses in the quarterfinals of three of the four Grand Slam tournaments. Additionally, his last tournament victory was back in July when he triumphed over Casper Ruud at the Nordea Open. In contrast, his opponent, Carlos Alcaraz, achieved success at Wimbledon and currently holds the No. 2 ranking globally.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.