Ruud Flying Under the Radar into Paris Second Week
Tennis

Ruud Flying Under the Radar into Paris Second Week

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Ruud Flying Under the Radar into Paris Second Week

By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Saturday, June 3, 2023

Casper Ruud, nicknamed “Casper the Ghost” final yr as a result of he seemingly spirited himself into the Roland Garros second week with out a variety of fanfare, is doing it once more this yr in Paris.

 

Last yr’s finalist and No. 4 seed Ruud loved a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 win over China’s Zhang Zhizhen to achieve the fourth spherical on Saturday.

The 24 yr outdated Norwegian is okay being beneath the radar as soon as once more and isn’t dwelling an excessive amount of on shedding in final yr’s last to Rafael Nadal.

 

 

“I’m not really haunted by what happened last year in the final honestly. I mean, like I said, I think last year I’m not the first victim to lose to Rafa in the final,” Ruud said. “Of course I wish I could have done a little better and so on, but was my first one,” Ruud mentioned in his submit match press convention.

“Physically I used to be perhaps a bit drained, you already know, making an allowance for I had made semis in Rome and gained Geneva and got here straight right here. So it was a variety of matches for me and never blaming my bodily elements for the loss or something. But it was powerful to play the hardest participant you possibly can play on clay within the first last.

 

 “Not really haunted by it, but yeah, I think (there are) some more eyes on me maybe this year than last year. But yeah, it’s been sort of quiet so far. Been able to do my job and play my matches and get on in the tournament.”

 

That Ruud is just not being talked about a lot this yr in Paris is considerably stunning, contemplating his breakout season final yr that included reaching two main finals – Roland Garros and the US Open. Yet, to this point in 2023 Ruud hasn’t made a ton of noise and has struggled for the primary a part of the season.

 

Ruud turned issues round as soon as he hit the clay. He gained his first title of the yr in Estoril after which reached the Rome semifinals. Those outcomes have Ruud feeling a lot better about his possibilities in Paris.

 

“Yeah, level is getting better. I think I still don’t feel like I’m playing like, what should I say, error-free, in a way. I still feel like there are things I can improve and I can make less errors than I have done in some moments in my matches. So I still feel like there is a level that I haven’t played yet that I can bring out and I will need to bring out now going into the second week, for sure.” 

 

Ruud added, “But I’m through to the second week and the fourth round. I’m going to try to let a little bit more loose and feel like I have won some good matches so far. So I’m going to try to build on it.”

 

Next up Ruud shall be a troublesome take a look at towards Chile’s Nicolas Jarry within the fourth spherical. Jarry beat Ruud the final time they confronted one another in Geneva just a few weeks in the past earlier than the Chilean went on to win the title.

 

Yeah, if I play Jarry, it is going to be one other powerful match. It was shut and difficult in Geneva. Felt prefer it might have gone both manner. It went his manner,” Ruud mentioned on the matchup. “Yeah, I’m going to hope that the altitude being less here and sea level here it’s gonna help slow the ball down a little bit. He’s playing great. He won three great matches. Going to prepare for a very tough match.”

Photo Credit: Getty

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