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#NextGenATP Norwegian is son of former World No. 39 Christian Ruud
#NextGenATP Norwegian Casper Ruud's career is young. But it’s clear that the 20-year-old’s best surface at the moment is clay. He has won more than 60 per cent of his matches on the dirt compared to just 36 per cent on hard courts, and he has not yet earned a victory on grass.
Although some may see that as a weakness for Ruud, the first-time Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier embraces it as a strength. He wants to be the next clay king.
“I’ve always looked up to Rafa a lot and players like him and Thiem, they play with great intensity and in some matches. When you look at them, they’ve kind of already won the match, it seems like, before they walk on the court because their opponent knows it’s going to be so tough to beat them on clay,” Ruud said. “That’s a point I would like to get to in my career. When I step on a clay court, the guy on the other side of the net to think, ‘Oh, this guy is a really, really good player and I’ll have to play my best tennis for three hours if I’ll have a chance to beat him.’”
The way Ruud sees it, he is more comfortable on clay than most #NextGenATP players.
“I feel like I’m one of the younger guys who maybe prefers to play on clay over hard court... I think it’s a good opportunity for me to be able to do well on clay courts the next, hopefully, 15 years because none of the new ones, except Thiem, who is a little older than us, has done unbelievably good on clay yet,” Ruud said. “I’m thinking that could be an open spot to be a new ‘clay-court guy’ among the Next Gen.”
<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/casp ... ew'>Casper Ruud</a> slices a forehand at <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/ ... ew'>Roland Garros</a>
Ruud, who made the 2017 Rio de Janeiro semi-finals just two months after his 18th birthday, got a chance to flex his clay muscles at Roland Garros this year, making the third round of a major for the first time. But across the net stood 2009 champion Roger Federer, who admitted before the match that he knew more about Ruud’s father — former World No. 39 Christian Ruud — than he did about the #NextGenATP star. Federer won in straight sets, with the third set going to a tie-break.
“I like a lot in his game. Today I saw the clay-courter. But I'm sure he's also got the hard-court game in him, and I think he's going to be obviously easily [reach the] Top 50, Top 20, hopefully soon,” Federer said. “From then on, anything is possible at some stage once you get in the Top 20.”
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Ruud has shown in 2019 that he is capable of good results on hard courts, not just clay, making the quarter-finals in St. Petersburg, where he fell in three sets against eventual finalist Borna Coric.
“I like to go around and play heavy on the forehand, which obviously bites more on clay and it’s harder to receive a heavy ball on clay than on hard court,” Ruud said. “It’s not like I feel uncomfortable on hard courts or anything like that, but I think we just figured out that clay is maybe the surface that fits my game the most for now.”
<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/chri ... >Christian Ruud</a> and <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/casp ... ew'>Casper Ruud</a> form a successful father-son duo on the ATP Tour
Christian Ruud, who has climbed higher in the ATP Rankings than any other player in Norway’s history, knows that his son must continue raising his level on other surfaces if he is to continue his ascent on the ATP Tour. Casper reached a career-high World No. 54 this August.
“I think that his goal is to become a top player, and I think he’s dreaming about No. 1 in the world and you have to play well on all the surfaces to do that,” Christian said. “This year the goal was to be Top 100 when we started the year and it was natural for him to pick mostly clay when he had the chance because maybe he has [a better] chance to do well there. But he is showing me that he could also play well on hard courts.”
One of the reasons for Ruud’s 2019 success — and Milan qualification — was his consistency. After making the Rio de Janeiro semi-finals in February 2017, he could not maintain the momentum for the rest of the year, failing to win an ATP Tour match after Barcelona in April. This year, he has earned 22 of his 39 career tour-level wins, including a trip to his maiden ATP Tour final in Houston.
“I think his lowest level has come up a lot. He’s been playing a lot better at ATP events and winning a lot more matches and also beating decent players when he’s not been playing his best, so I think his high level has increased as well as his low level,” Christian said. “I think it’s sometimes difficult when you’re very young and do good results. You have one week where everything is working, like in Rio in 2017… it came a little bit quick. There are still a lot of good players on the Challenger Tour.
"I think this year has been more consistent. He’s just been learning more and getting more experience and everything has improved.”
Ruud will hope that translates to Milan. And although the season-ending 21-and-under event is contested on an indoor hard court, the Norwegian is plenty excited to test himself against the world’s best #NextGenATP stars. He even feels that since it’s not on clay, he’ll be able to play with his "shoulders down", and not feel as much pressure.
“I’m feeling like I’m close to achieving big results, even on hard courts,” Ruud said. “So I just have to keep on training hard and staying focussed and doing the right things and I think good things can happen.”

Norwegian is the fourth seed in Milan
Had Casper Ruud converted his match point in the 2017 Rio de Janeiro semi-finals, it might have helped propel him into the Next Gen ATP Finals that year. But more than two years after that match, he’s made it to Milan.

The 20-year-old Norwegian makes his debut at the Allianz Cloud on Tuesday against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic. Ruud has enjoyed a breakout season that has seen him climb more than 50 spots in the ATP Rankings, recording his first ATP Tour final in Houston alongside a pair of semi-finals in Sao Paulo and Kitzbühel.

“This is the week all of us have been waiting for,” Ruud said. “I did really well in the beginning of 2017 and I was really high up in the [ATP Race To Milan], but I didn’t make it that year or last year. It was a big goal for me to be here this year. This was my last chance, so I guess you could say it will be a nice end to my Next Gen career. (Ruud was born in December 1998, therefore making him ineligible for the 2020 Next Gen ATP Finals, which will accept only players born in 1999 or later.)

“Most of our matches on Tour are against guys who are much older, so it’s fun to measure our powers against each other. Everybody here can beat each other with the [unique] scoring system, so it’s something we should be prepared for. One set can just be a difference of one or two points, so it will be a fun event.”

Read More: How Ruud Plans To Follow In Nadal & Thiem's Footsteps

But if Ruud had to pick the week that’s had the biggest impact on his fledgling career so far, he still thinks back to the highs and lows of his run in Rio. He arrived that week as an 18-year-old wild card with an ATP Ranking of No. 208, playing just his second main tour-level main draw an first ATP 500 event. But the Norwegian punched well above his weight by shocking a trio of established clay-court experts for his first tour-level semi-final.

“I was the underdog in every match,” Ruud said. “Nobody knew me or how I played, but I had seen all of these guys on TV and knew how they played. They didn’t really know what to expect from me.”

Ruud held a match point in the second set of his semi-final against Pablo Carreno Busta, but the Spaniard won the next nine games to prevail. Had Ruud won, the victory would have propelled the Norwegian into the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings. The magnitude of the moment wasn’t lost on him as he spent much of the year competing on the ATP Challenger Tour, fully aware he’d be in the main draw of many tour-level events if he’d made good on his chance.

Realising that dwelling on the situation wouldn’t help, Ruud made peace with his circumstances. He worked even harder off the court and cracked the Top 100 this March. But what’s most satisfying to the 20-year-old is that he reached the milestone off a consistent body of results, rather than a single flashy run.

“I was one point away from being in the Top 100 as an 18-year-old, which is a big deal. It’s probably something I thought about a little too much after that week. It was tough to know that I was so close and it could have been an unbelievable rest of the season for me,” Ruud said. “[But] this has been my best year on Tour. I feel more steady and grown up in my game and behaviour than I did during that week in Rio.”

Read More: 5 Things To Know About Ruud, Who's Going To Milan

Ruud credits his father, former Top 50 player Christian Ruud, with his on-court success. He freely admits that Norway isn’t known as a tennis hotbed, so having a parent who played on Tour was an ideal substitute when sparring partners weren’t plentiful growing up. Living under the same roof as the only Norwegian player at the time to crack the Top 100 also gave him firsthand knowledge on how to pursue his dreams of a pro tennis career.

“He’s always been there for me and tried to guide me,” Ruud said. “When you’re 13 or 14, it’s easy to think about other things or want to go out to parties. My dad was strict with me in those ways because he knew you have to be serious from a young age if you want to be a professional tennis player. There were some sacrifices, but it’s paid off.”

Read More: Like Father, Like Son: Ruud Makes His Mark

Competing in Milan is just one of the rewards for his years of hard work. But with his 21st birthday a month away, Ruud is one of the “veteran” #NextGenATP players on Tour. He hopes that a big run this week will serve as a springboard to match the success of younger players at the upper echelons of the ATP Rankings like Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov.

“I’m not going to say that I feel old, but there are younger players that are doing better than me. It’s something to perhaps gain motivation from,” Ruud said. “I’m a couple of steps behind them now, but I’ve built a good base this year and will hopefully be ready for an even better season next year.”

Norwegian picks up first win in Milan
Casper Ruud used all of his mental toughness to pick up his maiden win at the Next Gen ATP Finals on Wednesday, weathering several momentum shifts in his match with Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to prevail 3-4(2), 4-3(2), 4-2, 3-4(2), 4-1.
“It was a lot of ups and downs and also the first five-set match that I’ve won,” Ruud said. “It can only be a couple of points from winning or losing. [Davidovich Fokina] is a really strong fighter and it was a very good match.”
Their clash at the Allianz Cloud featured several milestone moments. The Norwegian’s victory is the first five-setter of this year’s event and had more games (32) than any match in tournament history. Ruud also utilised the first-ever video review in the opening game of the match.
Ruud has enjoyed a breakout season that has seen him climb more than 50 spots in the ATP Rankings, recording his first ATP Tour final in Houston (l. to Garin) alongside a pair of semi-finals in Sao Paulo and Kitzbühel. He moves to 1-1 in Group A, while Davidovich Fokina drops to 0-2.
Read More: Coaches' Corner: Christian Ruud
The Norwegian's historic video review took place at 30-30 in the opening game. The umpire stopped the point and declared that Ruud’s lob touched the bottom of the jumbo screen. Ruud challenged the call, but the review showed that the call was correct.
Both players traded a pair of service holds to begin the opening set. Davidovich Fokina came alive in the tie-break, ripping a forehand return winner on the first point and following it up with a backhand winner at 3/1 for a double mini-break advantage. He closed out the set after Ruud sent a forehand wide.
Little separated Ruud and Davidovich Fokina in the second set and they went to another tie-break. But the Spaniard’s flashy shotmaking ultimately betrayed him as he hit a wild forehand error and missed a pair of volleys to allow the Norwegian to level the match.
With Davidovich Fokina serving at 0-1, 0/15, he fell attempting to hit a forehand and his right knee buckled as he collapsed to the ground in pain. He soldiered on after a lengthy medical timeout, but his movement appeared restricted and Ruud coasted through the remainder of the set.
Read More: Ruud: 'This Is The Week We've All Been Waiting For'
The Spaniard’s movement, however, improved dramatically in the fourth set. He stayed with Ruud in the baseline exchanges and earned a break at 1-1, roaring in delight as he motioned for the crowd to get out of their seats. Davidovich Fokina couldn’t convert a set point at 3-2 and pushed a backhand volley long, but regrouped in the tie-break. Any questions about the state of his knee were answered after he leapt into a forehand winner on set point at 6/2.
But the dramatics of the match finally caught up with Davidovich Fokina, and he appeared to tire in the closing stages. Ruud, who had remained calm throughout the clash, still had plenty of energy. The Norwegian raced through the deciding set and a backhand error from Davidovich Fokina wrapped up play after two hours and 17 minutes. Ruud finished with 28 winners to 19 errors.

Former World No. 39 coaches son Casper full-time on ATP Tour
When Casper Ruud sought advice growing up on how to pursue his dreams of being a professional tennis player, he needed to only walk down the stairs of his house.
The #NextGenATP star’s coach is his father, Christian Ruud. Christian is a former ATP Tour player who remains the only Norwegian to crack the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings, peaking at No. 39 in October 1995. ATPTour.com spoke with him during his son’s maiden appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.
How would you assess Casper’s season overall?
I think he had a bit of a slow start to the season. He was almost training too much in the off-season. We were training for a lot of hours at the Rafa Nadal Academy [in Mallorca] and it paid off in the end, but it was a little bit hard to get going.
He’s been much more consistent this year. His lowest level has gone up, so he can still beat good players when he’s not playing his best. His top level has also gone up, and he’s had many good wins this year. He’s just improved his game overall.
Casper talked about how missing his first chance to be in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings [at 2017 Rio de Janeiro] impacted him mentally. As a former player, how did you guide him during those difficult moments?
It was tough that year because he played a few matches for a Top 100 spot and that’s your first ultimate goal as a tennis player. I tried to put it to him in a different way. Maybe you got a little but lucky in Rio, maybe the draw opened up in your favour. He could have played Dominic Thiem in the first round and gotten zero [ATP Rankings] points.
Don’t misunderstand, he played great. But he was not yet at the level to play that way week in and week out. He had to go back to the ATP Challenger Tour and it’s still not easy to win there. But he had a decent season last year, coming back strong after falling outside of the Top 200 and almost finishing inside the Top 100. Now he’s well inside the Top 100. It’s been a good ride, so we have to be happy with this season.
From your experience on Tour, what are the things you wish you knew that you’re trying to pass on to him now?
When I was playing, it was a bit more separate. You had clay-court guys and then guys who were good on faster courts. But now, you have to be good on every surface. Casper has gotten most of his [ATP Rankings] points on clay this year, and we did that so he had the best chance of breaking into the Top 100, but now he has to improve on the faster surfaces.
I think he’s a good hard-court player. He made his first [tour-level] quarter-final two months ago in St. Petersburg. He’s taking small steps in all the right departments. It’s all about training the right way, having a good schedule and listening to the body so he can hopefully play for many more seasons.
Is it ever difficult to separate the roles of being a parent and being a coach?
Maybe when he’s younger, but now he’s a grown-up. I feel more like a coach and also a friend now because we travel and go out to dinners together. It’s not like I’m babysitting him.
We have a good relationship. He respects that I was a player on Tour and respects me as a coach. He was the one [who] wanted me to be his coach when his other coach quit 18 months ago. I’m just trying to help him be a good player and a good person.
How has it been adapting to the unique format of this tournament?
It’s been fun because every point is so exciting and one set can go so quickly. One break of serve and the set can almost be over. He’s aware that a few points can separate the difference between winning and losing. You have to take your chances and be focussed on the big points. Hopefully he can achieve that during the week.

Casper Ruud will lead Norway at the inaugural team event

The Ruud family has been putting Norwegian tennis on the global map for the past 30 years, and they'll have their biggest opportunity yet next month at the inaugural ATP Cup, to be held 3-12 January in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.

Casper Ruud, No. 54 in the ATP Rankings, will lead the team, and his father/coach Christian Ruud, who reached No. 39 in the ATP Rankings before retiring in 2001, will captain the team, which will face Russia, Italy and the U.S. in Group D in Perth.

The Ruuds, who will be joined by Norwegian players Viktor Durasovic, Lukas Hellum Lilleengen, Leyton Rivera and Herman Hoeyeraal, spoke to ATPTour.com about competing at next month's ATP Cup, what it's like to be a travelling father-son duo on the ATP Tour and how they've brought recognition to tennis in Norway.

Casper Ruud
On being from Norway
“It’s a little bit tough sometimes to be from a small tennis country like Norway because you don’t have too many people to practise with when you’re home and that kind of stuff. I think many people many times don’t quite understand where I’m from, because Norway is not a typical tennis country and they’re maybe thinking, 'Norway, where is that?'

“But if I had to choose things, I would like them to think that I of course play well, and I’m a nice guy, likable. That’s my goal and why I try to stay humble all the time and try to work hard and hopefully the results will come and as the results come, more fans will eventually come.”

On growing tennis in Norway
“I’m trying, definitely. It’s one of my goals, to try to make Norway a bigger tennis country. We’ve been talking a little bit if I have a big career, we can maybe try to bring an ATP event to Norway. That would be a huge goal for me in my career, to try to do that. In Sweden, they have two events. That would be nice for Norway and Norwegian tennis.”

On being a part of the #NextGenATP, competing at the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals
“I’m not going to say that I feel old, but there are younger players that are doing better than me. It’s something to perhaps gain motivation from.

“I’m a couple of steps behind them now, but I’ve built a good base this year and will hopefully be ready for an even better season next year.”

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On having his father as a coach
“I know that he cares about me and he wants everything in the best way for me. So, of course, he's been a really big part of my success and my team, ever since I was little.

“I'm from a small tennis country, and I don't have too many people to look up to in my home country, except for him. He's the only one who knows how it's been and how the life on the Tour is. I think it's been a huge advantage, even though I'm from Norway, to have my father so close to me and helping me with my tennis.”

How his dad especially helped him when he was a teenager
“He’s always been there for me and tried to guide me... When you’re 13 or 14, it’s easy to think about other things or want to go out to parties. My dad was strict with me in those ways because he knew you have to be serious from a young age if you want to be a professional tennis player. There were some sacrifices, but it’s paid off.”

Christian Ruud
On Casper choosing tennis
“He was the one that decided at age 11, 'OK, this is what I want to do. I'm more into individual sports than team sports.' Since then it's just been about the tennis.”

On separating the father-coach roles
“Maybe when he’s younger [it was harder], but now he’s a grown-up. I feel more like a coach and also a friend now because we travel and go out to dinners together. It’s not like I’m babysitting him.

“We have a good relationship. He respects that I was a player on Tour and respects me as a coach. He was the one [who] wanted me to be his coach when his other coach quit 18 months ago. I’m just trying to help him be a good player and a good person.”

On his son's 2019 season
“I think his lowest level has come up a lot. He’s been playing a lot better at ATP events and winning a lot more matches and also beating decent players when he’s not been playing his best, so I think his high level has increased as well as his low level.”

Norwegian kicks off 2020 season at the ATP Cup in Perth

A productive off-season in Mallorca that included practice sessions with Rafael Nadal has left Casper Ruud feeling confident that he can reach even greater heights in 2020.

The 21-year-old will start the new year by leading Team Norway in the inaugural ATP Cup. They’ll face Russia, Italy and United States in Group D action in Perth.

Ruud spent two weeks in December at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, his home base since September 2018. He’s quickly climbed up the ATP Rankings since moving to Spain and said the academy’s motivating environment has helped elevate his game.
“I always felt like I’ve played with good intensity in my game and I need it to play well, but I’ve gotten that extra 10 or 20 per cent from being there,” Ruud said. “That’s the small margin that can change whether you’re No. 10 [in the ATP Rankings] or No. 60. It’s not like they’ve changed my technique, but they’ve helped with all the strokes.

“It’s motivating to have Rafa there and even Toni [Nadal] coming to the practices and pushing you a bit more. You’re surrounded by very good players.”

The decision to uproot can be difficult for some, but Ruud saw training at Nadal's academy as a clear opportunity to boost his game. His family also realised what the move to Mallorca could provide and offered to join him for support.

“I had split with my coach [in February 2018] and was training at home with my dad [former World No. 39 Christian Ruud]. It can be good, but I need to get out sometimes and train with other good players. They asked me if I wanted to try it out and Rafa is one of my biggest idols, so I didn’t see a point in saying no,” Ruud said. “My mother, younger sister and father came down. My sister also started full-time at the academy, playing every day and going to school there.”
Ruud arrived in Mallorca 15 months ago with an ATP Ranking of No. 143, but currently sits at a career-high of No. 54. His 2019 highlights include reaching his maiden ATP Tour final in Houston (l. to Garin), beating Matteo Berrettini en route to a third-round showing at Roland Garros and qualifying for Milan.

The Norwegian believes he’s also benefitted from practising with Nadal and observing how the World No. 1 trains. The energy that the Spaniard brings to each practice has rubbed off on Ruud and added a new level of intensity to his game that could serve him well in Perth.
“If Rafa goes 100 per cent intensity in matches, he goes 120 per cent in a practice,” Ruud said. “He rips the ball so hard. He likes to play high-risk when he practises because it might be easier for him to slow down during a match if he needs to. That’s something which has been working for me as well. I’m trying to play a bit more loose during training, higher intensity, faster balls and working on things that you don’t dare to do in a match.

“When I practise with Rafa, he gets to push me around and I’m usually exhausted after a couple of hours. They’re tough sessions, but they’re great.”

Doubles match to decide opening tie in Group D

Casper Ruud drew Team Norway level at 1-1 against Team United States on Friday after recording the biggest win of his career in Perth at the inaugural ATP Cup.

Ruud saved two match points in a 6-7(3), 7-6(10), 7-5 victory over former World No. 8 John Isner over two hours and 43 minutes in the Group D opener at the RAC Arena.

Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek will take on Ruud and Viktor Durasovic in the doubles match to decide the group tie. Earlier in the day, Taylor Fritz swept past Durasovic of Team Norway 6-2, 6-2 in 62 minutes in the opening singles match.

Isner came close to breaking Ruud in the first game of the first set — which saw him strike 24 winners, including 13 aces — then again, when leading 3-2 in the second set. Ruud took a 5/3 lead in the second set tie-break, harrying Isner and moving up the court quickly for forehand winners.

At 4/6, Isner was rock solid at close quarters, forcing a volley error from Ruud, and the American later struck an unreturned serve on the second set point. Isner squandered two match points with forehand errors at 7/6 and 9/8, while Ruud missed out on a third set point when Isner hit a smash winner at 8/7.

The third set looked destined for another tie-break, but Ruud stepped up at 6-5, when Isner dropped to 0/40. At the third time of asking, Ruud rifled a backhand to Isner, who, at the net was unable to control a forehand volley back into court. Isner hit 33 aces in total.

“I thought my opponent played well, he was better than me, no doubt about that,” said Isner. “Physically I am fine, but I didn’t do the things I needed to do today. He was making a lot of first serves and I was really struggling. He deserved that one. I have another match, but I’m a notoriously slow starter.

“I was a little bit tense and tight, I wasn’t free out there. I wasn’t clicking. I’d like to have that second match point back.”

Fritz

Earlier in the tie, Fritz capitalised on nerves for his opponent, Durasovic. Later, the American, who lifted his first ATP Tour trophy last year at the Nature Valley International, said: “I thought I played pretty well. I went out and I did everything that I told myself I needed to do: I made a lot of returns, played solid, take care of my serve. It was a pretty complete match.”

While Durasovic recovered from 0/40 in the opening game, Fritz soon broke for a 3-1 lead in the first set and saw a run of five straight games ended at 2-0 in the second set. Greater consistency proved to be the difference for Fritz, while No. 332-ranked Durasovic, who had played three Top 100 opponents in his career, rushed to end baseline rallies.

“There wasn’t too much frustration early on, because I didn’t do anything wrong,” said Fritz. “The first game he was 0/40 and hit some really good serves and shots. I knew I needed to keep coming up with chances, until he doesn’t come up with something on a break point.”

Durasovic admitted to nerves throughout, saying: “It was fun in one way, the whole atmosphere and playing on a nice court. But at the same time, I am disappointed as I wasn’t able to play at a level to compare myself. I definitely have mixed feelings. I was nervous from the beginning to the end.”

The 24-team event is being played in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney from 3-12 January, with the Final Eight beginning on Thursday in Sydney.