Casper Ruud’s determination paid off as he gained victory at the Mutua Madrid Open. The Norwegian claimed his first ATP Masters 1000 title after winning against Jack Draper with a final scoreline of 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
This was an important win for Ruud as he previously lost both of his Masters 1000 finals without even winning a set. Despite his opponent’s left-handed game, Ruud stayed composed and did his best to outplay the Briton and secure the biggest win of his sporting career.
With his victory, Ruud expressed, “It feels great, of course. It’s been a long time coming… [This was] one of the really big goals I dreamed about when I was young, so it’s an incredible feeling to accomplish it. Also, the way I did it today, it was a great match. I knew Jack had been playing unbelievably all year, and especially in this tournament, so I knew that if I didn’t bring my A-plus game, I was going to be whooped around the court.”
He added, “Luckily, I played really well. Jack has become such an incredible player on any surface now. He’s won titles on every surface except [clay], and he’s already made finals here in Madrid. So it’s an incredible year he is having. This is a really big boost for me, and I would like to keep it going.”
In a social media post, the athlete shared, “I’ve always dreamed of winning tournaments like this…🏆 It’s been an incredible couple of weeks, and I’m so thankful to everyone who supports me🙏🏻”
Netizens flooded the comments with support, with one writing, “Congrats, Casper, you played amazing — a special place to win your first💕” Another said, “You deserve this more than anyone. I’m so proud of you❤️” Many echoed similar sentiments, celebrating his performance and saying they hope he feels the love and support from fans around the world.
Ruud making history
Casper Ruud’s victory at the Madrid Open was a major milestone in Norwegian tennis history. He became the first player from Norway to win an ATP Masters 1000 title. More so, this championship is his 13th career title on the ATP Tour, which is a great addition to his impressive list of successes, including three Grand Slam final appearances and a former ranking of World No. 2.
Ruud’s impressive run at the Madrid Open
Ruud displayed some of his best tennis of the season in this year’s Madrid Open. He defeated three Top 10 athletes, World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, No. 10 Daniil Medvedev, and No. 6 Jack Draper, to finally make the title his.
Earlier in the season, Ruud had struggled with form and consistency. However, his performance in Madrid turned this around and improved his season record to 21 wins and 6 losses. With this outcome, he will climb back up the PIF ATP Rankings and will be at No. 7.
Additionally, he also made a huge leap in the rankings for the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, all thanks to his Madrid results. He now rose 19 spots to be at No. 5, and this boosted his chances of qualifying for the prestigious year-end Nitto ATP Finals, where he was previously a runner-up.
“I owe a lot of my success to all my closest ones… My family, my friends, my fiancée Maria. We got engaged last year, so she’s been an incredible support for me over many years now. She came yesterday to come and support, and maybe that was the last little push I needed to get over the finish line. I’m really happy, and it’s great that I’m surrounded by so many amazing people. I’m a really lucky guy,” the athlete added.