Casper Ruud is fully aware that when there is a discussion about the best players in men’s tennis today, you will typically hear names such as Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Nadal, and Tsitsipas. If the conversation shifts to the “next-gen” Alcaraz pops up again alongside Sinner, Rune, Tiafoe, and to a lesser extent Musetti.
Ruud, who sits at No. 4 in the latest world rankings, knows he falls somewhere in the middle of both these groups. His game is not as flashy as a Gael Monfils nor is it as smooth as a Dimitrov or Federer.
No, the 24-year-old Norwegian is a heavy-hitting grinder. He will wear down his opponents with ruthless topspin patterns from the baseline. His defensive work has continuously improved year by year. It’s this constant solidity that has spurred the man from Oslo, Norway to the heights he has touched in this game.
Casper Rudd is Norway’s next great tennis hope
He did not burst onto the scene from Day 1. It has been a steady increase one brick at a time as he has rounded out his game. His first title on the ATP Tour came during the Golden Swing of South America where he won the 250 event in Buenos Aires in 2020.
This was followed by a stunning run on the clay the next season where he racked up 4 titles on the red dirt. However, wanting to shed the moniker of being a clay-court specialist, he scooped up an ATP 250 title on the hard courts of San Diego.
Casper Ruud, the afterthought
Even with all of this success, Ruud was still an afterthought in the mainstream of tennis minds. Sure, he was a nice player racking up titles against weaker fields, but he had not done anything on the big stage to prove his worth. Enter the 2022 season for the Norwegian.
The man from Norway bagged three more clay court trophies for his cabinet, but it was the Finals he made that introduced him to the world; Masters 1000 in Miami, Roland Garros, the US Open, and the Nitto ATP Finals.
While his run to the French Open final in 2022 saw him routed by Nadal, it clearly gave him a confidence boost that he rode all the way to New York where he reached the Final at a hard-court Grand Slam event squashing any remaining doubts that he was a one-trick player.
Ruud buoyed his self-belief that he belonged in the upper echelon in the game when he capped the year by making the Finals of the year-end championships on an indoor hard court. A far cry from the clay courts in Gstaad or Geneva.
This was followed by an off-season exhibition tour with the great Rafael Nadal that while a once in a lifetime opportunity, it clearly hampered his game to begin this season. Ruud struggled for consistency as the clay court season began. But, as he has done his whole career. he steadily improved and raised his game to meet the moment.
Casper Ruud and the French Open
In this year’s edition of the French Open, Ruud, who was a Top 4 seed was never truly talked about as a viable contender for the crown. Alcaraz and Djokovic were on a collision course and maybe Tsitsipas could break up the party. Heck, even Medvedev, a notoriously average player at best on clay, was being talked about more.
No matter for the sturdy Norwegian as he worked his way into a Quarterfinal rematch with the feisty Holger Rune. After he dispatched the young Dane with a rock-solid performance, it gave him another milestone. His first Top 10 win at a Grand Slam event.
This was followed up by a comfortable dismissal of the sentimental favorite Alexander Zverev in the Semis. While his run would end in disappointment as Nole took him down in the Final, Ruud showed that his rise was no fluke. 3 of the last 5 Grand Slam Finals have featured Casper Ruud. The Year-end Championships final featured Casper Ruud.
For now, on the court, he is a player defined by his intensity, work rate, and stamina. Off the court, he is a mild-mannered young man that is defined by the Finals he’s reached, as well as the titles he has won. If he wants to insert his name into the top tier of the sport, he will do what he always does. Keep grinding and the results will come.
All of Norway is rooting for him, However, day by day the tennis world is falling for the baseline warrior from Oslo. It’ll be fascinating to see where he ends up.