BARCELONA – World No. 6 Casper Ruud said he has taken “a few steps in the right direction” after he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-3 to win the Barcelona Open on April 21, the biggest title of his career.
The Norwegian earned revenge after his defeat by the Greek world No. 7 in the Monte Carlo Masters final on April 14.
Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, had won 10 titles at 250 level, with the 500-ranked clay-court event in Barcelona his 11th career triumph.
“For me it means a lot, this is my biggest title that I ever won in my career – it’s something I’ve chased for a long time already,” Ruud told Teledeporte. “I’ve never won a 500 before or a 1000. I’ve been to a few finals but always came up a little bit short.
“I didn’t start great during the match, but luckily I was able to come back and play really well at the end of the first and the second set.”
The 25-year-old leads the tour with 29 wins in 2024 but had lost in three finals before wrapping up his first title of the year when Tsitsipas, who lacked his usual spark, went long.
“The last six, seven months I’ve taken a few steps in the right direction in my game and I’m glad it’s paying off,” added Ruud.
Ruud’s 90-minute victory ended a 10-match winning streak for Tsitsipas.
“Throughout the whole week I didn’t feel like my shots had the same effect as they did in Monte Carlo,” said Tsitsipas. “Today it felt like I didn’t have the mental capacity to even fight. Even if I wanted to push myself to fight, Casper was just too good today.”
Tsitsipas blamed the Catalan clay for taking the edge off his shots but said the courts at the Madrid Open, where he will compete next, are a better fit for his game.
However, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep, the Madrid champion in 2016 and 2017, will be absent from the Spanish capital.
Media reports said the Serbian star had pulled out of the tournament and he was not included in the draw on April 22.
Halep withdrew as the Romanian said she needs more time to get physically ready to compete at the highest level after being out of action for over 18 months.
The two-time Major champion had her four-year doping ban cut to nine months by the top court for global sport in March and made her return as a wild card at the Miami Open.
Rafael Nadal will continue his comeback from injury in Madrid and will face 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in the first round.
The Spaniard is also set to play in the 2024 Laver Cup, organisers said on April 22, in what could be the 37-year-old’s last tournament. Nadal last played at the Laver Cup in 2022, when he teamed up with Roger Federer in what was the Swiss great’s last match.
AFP, REUTERS
