Casper Ruud didn't want to have happen against Juan Manuel Cerundolo at the 2026 Swiss Open what happened in 2025. In a tough three-set match, it was the Argentine who pulled through. In their quarterfinal match in 2026, Ruud appeared set to reverse that narrative.
He got the break he would need on the Gstaad clay and took the opening set 6-3. He was playing with confidence on his favorite surface, and even though Cerundolo is a clay-court specialist too, he was being completely outplayed.
The problem for the Norwegian is that he would have a nightmare situation unfold that will give him PTSD from what happened in 2025. Ruud jumped out to a 4-2 lead after getting a break from Cerundolo in the fifth game, but that would be the end of the two-time Swiss Open champion's happiness in the match.
Casper Ruud's 2026 Swiss Open looks a lot like his 2025 campaign
He would lose serve, and Cerundolo got back to 4-all. At 6-5 in favor of the Argentine, Ruud would be broken again, and Cerundolo had taken the set to even the match. After playing so well for a set and a half, nothing Ruud tried to do was working. Whatever shot he attempted, Cerundolo appeared to anticipate and then return pristinely.
In the third set, the Norwegian was broken yet again, and Cerundolo then held to take a 4-1 lead. He had all the momentum and seemed extremely unlikely to give the match away. He had gifted Ruud the advantage in the first place with no aces but four double faults in the opening set.
By the third set, the Argentine was winning 93 percent of his first serves after landing nearly 70 percent of those serves. Ruud was constantly on the defensive, and even a slight uptick in aggression wouldn't pay off for him.
To finish off the match, Cerundolo broke Casper Ruud at love to take the third set 6-2. The Norwegian likely hopes he never has to face the Argentine ever again at the Swiss Open.
As for Juan Manuel Cerundolo, he will next play Raphael Collignon in the semifinals. Collignon defeated Valentin Vacherot in his quarterfinal match in Gstaad.
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