Rublev talks cats, hair, One Direction in Reddit AMA

With two titles already in 2020, Andrey Rublev, the ATP's third-highest-ranked player under age 23, has made himself a must-watch talent on tour.

And to let fans get to know him a little better, Rublev did a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" thread on Tuesday with Tennis TV.

In addition to answering serious questions about his training, gear and game style, he gave Redditors insight into some more off-the-wall topics, such as whether he likes cats.

"Yes, I like cats," Rublev replied.

Fans were particularly enamored of his hair, which user TheMostIllegal called "ridiculously soft," asking what shampoo he uses.

"I [was] lucky enough genetically but also I use special shampoo and conditioners for my type of hair!" he said.

Answering another question about his lush mop, Rublev said he cuts his hair "once every two/three months."

He also corrected the record about a widely held misconception about him, that he was once in a One Direction cover band.

"It wasn't a] One Direction cover group!" Rublev said. "It was a [cover song from them," referring to the time he recorded "Steal My Girl" with his former band Summer Afternoon.

As for a potential return to the music scene, he answered, "For the moment tennis is the priority!"

Rublev also did an interview with Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after his first-round win at the Rotterdam ATP 500. When asked about the eccentrically patterned shirt he was wearing, he said, "It's just because I don't like the collar [on the other, red option]."

Seeded seventh in Rotterdam, he defeated Alexander Bublik, 7-5, 6-3, to advance into the quarterfinals.