Ruud Triumphs Over Draper at Madrid Open, Securing His Inaugural Masters 1000 Title
Norway's Casper Ruud achieved a significant milestone on Sunday, winning his first Masters 1000 title with a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Britain's fifth seed Jack Draper in the Madrid Open final. Ruud delivered a robust performance...
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Norway's Casper Ruud achieved a significant milestone on Sunday, winning his first Masters 1000 title with a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Britain's fifth seed Jack Draper in the Madrid Open final. Ruud delivered a robust performance that highlighted his skills on clay courts.
The 26-year-old, ranked 14th, claimed his place in the history books during his 18th clay-court final, overcoming a rib injury from the semifinals and a determined opponent in Draper. Throughout the tournament in Madrid, Ruud had already taken down formidable competitors including Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Francisco Cerundolo.
"It's been a long time coming. I have been dreaming about this since I was young. I knew Jack was playing unbelievably, so I had to bring my A-plus game," Ruud stated during his on-court interview following the match.
Ruud's journey to the final included three Grand Slam appearances, with two at the French Open, alongside prior Masters 1000 finals in Miami in 2022 and Monte Carlo last year.
In the match, Ruud showcased his resilience, making a stunning comeback from a 5-3 deficit in the opening set by winning four consecutive games and breaking Draper's serve twice for a 7-5 win in that set.
Draper, however, fought back in the second set, leveling at 3-3 after holding serve to love and subsequently breaking Ruud twice with just one unforced error, which led to a deciding set.
At the start of the third, Draper appeared steadier, but Ruud quickly took control, breaking Draper to establish a 3-2 lead and eventually sealing the match with a hold to love.
Although Draper faced defeat, the 23-year-old Indian Wells champion will see a rise in the world rankings, moving to a career-high number five as of Monday, surpassing Novak Djokovic.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
The 26-year-old, ranked 14th, claimed his place in the history books during his 18th clay-court final, overcoming a rib injury from the semifinals and a determined opponent in Draper. Throughout the tournament in Madrid, Ruud had already taken down formidable competitors including Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Francisco Cerundolo.
"It's been a long time coming. I have been dreaming about this since I was young. I knew Jack was playing unbelievably, so I had to bring my A-plus game," Ruud stated during his on-court interview following the match.
Ruud's journey to the final included three Grand Slam appearances, with two at the French Open, alongside prior Masters 1000 finals in Miami in 2022 and Monte Carlo last year.
In the match, Ruud showcased his resilience, making a stunning comeback from a 5-3 deficit in the opening set by winning four consecutive games and breaking Draper's serve twice for a 7-5 win in that set.
Draper, however, fought back in the second set, leveling at 3-3 after holding serve to love and subsequently breaking Ruud twice with just one unforced error, which led to a deciding set.
At the start of the third, Draper appeared steadier, but Ruud quickly took control, breaking Draper to establish a 3-2 lead and eventually sealing the match with a hold to love.
Although Draper faced defeat, the 23-year-old Indian Wells champion will see a rise in the world rankings, moving to a career-high number five as of Monday, surpassing Novak Djokovic.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
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