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One spot remains in Turin
Casper Ruud will make his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals after clinching his spot on Thursday at the Rolex Paris Masters The 22-year-old is the first Norwegian to earn a spot in the season finale, to be played at the Pala Alpitour in Turin from 14-21 November.

"It's been an unbelievable year that will have the perfect end to the season," said Ruud. "It's been a stressful couple of weeks and months, because it’s been such a tight [FedEx ATP] Race [To Turin]. It’s been fun at the same time [and] so exciting to watch as a tennis fan."

The Oslo native has enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2021, winning five of his six ATP Tour titles. The only other player who has lifted five tour-level trophies this year is Alexander Zverev, another Turin qualifier.

Read the full story at NittoATPFinals.com

The Mubadala World Tennis Championship continues to make way for the best with two more world-class players confirmed for the 13th edition of the Arabian Gulf’s leading professional tennis experience, which returns with fans in attendance at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi, from 16 – 18 December.

Championship owners Flash Entertainment have unveiled Casper Ruud, winner of the most ATP titles in 2021 and current world No. 8, as well as Denis Shapovalov, who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon this year and is current world No. 13, as the first two male players for this year’s event.

The pair, both regarded as future Grand Slam champions, join women’s US Open winner Emma Raducanu and her opponent on day one, Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic, in signing up to make their Abu Dhabi and Championship debuts. The remaining four players for a promised world-class eight-player line-up will be announced in the coming weeks.

John Lickrish, CEO, Flash Entertainment, said: “Announcing the players for the Championship is always a special moment and we have two special players in Casper and Denis. Our goal is to bring the world’s best talent and build on the legacy of our Championship and both players are the perfect fit.”

“They are young, supremely talented, have had successes this season and are great additions to the line-up alongside Emma and Belinda. We are once again on track to bring the best-of-the-best from the world of tennis. Stay tuned for more announcements and rest assured the Championship is, as always, a must attend for all tennis fans.” added Lickrish.

Norwegian ace Ruud is arguably the most improved player on the ATP tour this year, having won five tour titles in 2021, his latest victory coming at the San Diego Open earlier this October. It is a run that has seen him break into the world’s top 10, the first Norwegian to do so.

“I’ve had a great season this year and I’m excited to make my debut at this year’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship. I’m eager to keep improving next year, so Abu Dhabi in December provides a chance to play against the world’s best in preparation for another big season, while exploring a new destination and new cultures,” said Ruud.

Meanwhile, Canadian star Shapovalov, the current world No. 13, has had an impressive year, achieving his best Grand Slam results in reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon and in 2020 became one of only two Canadian men to achieve an ATP Top-10 ranking.

“It’s always nice to play in a new city and get the opportunity to see and do different things. I’m excited to come to Abu Dhabi to see all it has to offer, and I’ve heard great things about the venue so I’m looking forward to playing against the best in the world and putting on a show for the fans,” said Shapovalov.

In line with the latest Abu Dhabi government directives for live events, the 13th Mubadala World Tennis Championship is ready to welcome fans at full capacity, and with the star line-up taking shape, it’s now time to get tickets.

“Since its inception, the Mubadala World Tennis Championship has delivered an unmissable experience every edition. It’s great news, and a testament to Abu Dhabi’s capability as a host for major events, that we can return to full capacity, and we want as many people as possible to experience the thrill of live events again. So, I urge everyone to get those tickets now to avoid disappointment,” added Lickrish.

Tickets, starting from AED 100 for adults and AED 50 for children, are available from ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. In line with current government protocols, measures will be in place within the stadium and throughout the Tennis Village to ensure the health and safety of fans, players and officials.

Premier Hospitality tickets are available, offering fans a premium F&B menu and courtside seating providing prime viewing and an unparalleled experience. More details are available on www.mubadalawtc.com

Norwegian admits to nerves on his Nitto ATP Finals debut


Casper Ruud acknowledged that nerves and adrenaline influenced his defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Nitto ATP Finals.

In his debut at the season-ending championships, Ruud led by a break in the first set but was ultimately defeated 7-6(4), 6-2 as Djokovic improved his winning streak in opening Nitto ATP Finals matches to 13.

“I think it was a very fun and exciting first set. There were some fun rallies and some good rallies. Honestly, I think I have seen Novak play better than he did in the first set and I have also felt better on the court than the first set, but we still managed to produce some good tennis,” Ruud said.

“It’s not always easy, it’s the first match, I’m sure he was a bit nervous, I don’t know, but I was also a bit nervous and it’s the first time for me on this stage.”

In a dramatic first game, which saw Djokovic slip and lose his racquet mid-rally on break point, Ruud broke serve. It was a dream start in his quest for a first win over a Top 10 opponent on hard courts, but the Norwegian was unable to maintain his advantage as Djokovic displayed his familiar relentlessness.

“He’s always there. It’s tough because he reads the game very well and he’s always kind of positioning himself very, very well,” Ruud said. “Even though you feel you have an easy ball and you should put it away, he somehow gets there, both because he’s very quick obviously but also he reads the game well. At some crucial points he usually steps up and that’s why he’s No. 1 in the world and you could see it again today.

“[The second set] I started with two good points then four points that I just threw away a little bit. So he got the break right away and obviously he has the experience and the level to step up when he needs to and the second set was not as exciting as the first.”

Ruud has won a joint-ATP Tour leading five titles in 2021 and improved his hard-court results exponentially to earn his spot in Turin, where he is the first Norwegian to appear at the Nitto ATP Finals. It is heady stuff for the 22-year-old, who will face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Andrey Rublev in his next match on Wednesday.

“When you walk on the stage, it does something to you. It’s just the fact that you’re coming [through] a tunnel, you have the fancy lights, you have the music, you feel like everybody is watching you,” Ruud said.

“It can get a bit intimidating in a way… So that’s a normal thing, you get a little bit tight, your arm can feel heavy, all these things that the nerves do to your body.”

Ruud added: “It shows that it means something for you and it gets the adrenaline going. so I think it’s a positive for me even if it’s nicer not to feel nervous.”

Norwegian to face Rublev for semi-final spot
Casper Ruud claimed the first win of his Nitto ATP Finals campaign on Wednesday, after rallying from a set down against alternate Cameron Norrie 1-6, 6 -3, 6-4 at the Pala Alpitour.

The victory also keeps Ruud’s semi-final push alive in Turin: Novak Djokovic has already won the Green Group and claimed the first semi-final spot, leaving a win-and-you’re-in matchup for Ruud and Andrey Rublev on Friday. Norrie cannot advance.

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Playing in a rematch of the San Diego Open final, Ruud extended his ATP Head2Head lead to 2-0 over Norrie by firing 10 aces and 32 winners across one hour and 51 minutes.

Norrie, who missed out on direct qualification in 11th position in the FedEx Race To Turin, was called on today to replace Stefanos Tsitsipas (elbow injury) to finally make his debut at the season finale.

He was in complete control in the first set, keeping his unforced error count low and moving the ball around the court to ensure that Ruud didn’t impose his game. Norrie won the last five games of the first set with back-to-back breaks of serve.

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After needing a set and a half to settle into the contest, Ruud dialed up his heavy hitting and ramped up the pressure against Norrie. The Brit eventually surrendered serve late in the second set, and in the third, a double fault on break point gave Ruud the decisive 3-2 lead.

Did You Know...
Ruud is the first Norwegian player to compete in Nitto ATP Finals tournament history (since 1970).