Casper Ruud

[Damian]

27.02.2017

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 133

[Damian]

CASPER RUUD – HOW BIG CAN HE BECOME?

Spoiler:

CASPER RUUD – How big can he become?



Many of you maybe never saw Casper Ruud playing or even heard of him, but i sure hope that will change. In my eyes, he has a lot to offer.

I first saw Casper Ruud, the 18-year old Norwegian, in the middle of last season when he played on a claycourt Challenger in Seville.

I kind of fell in love with his game at first sight and hoped to see more of him.

Now when he stepped on the big scene in Rio, I decided to write my observation about his potential.

Assessing a young player who is digging his way into pros is not easy, but there are some factors which increase the probabilty of successing in the ”pro league”.

Firstly, we all look at someone’s results on the junior tour, but there is so much more than that and certainly not a guarantee to shine on the circuit. You can read a research about the correlation between junior and pro Grand Slam winners. Many of succesful juniors later failed to deliver.(http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/06/26/ ... t-assured/)

Therefore, I will just briefly describe Ruud’s career as a junior. In 2016 he was No.1 in juniors, he has not won any of the Grand Slams though. At the start of the last season he decided to play as many pro tournaments as possible. Starting on the Futures circuit his first Challenger tournament came in Seville on clay. And guess what? He won the tournament, coming all the way from qualifications.

Similar story this week in Rio. Before that, he never won an ATP match (he only played two before that) and he wasn’t even supposed to play Rio but a Challenger tournament in Japan. His agent arranged a wild card for him, which obviously paid off.

Let’s now look beyond the numbers.

What are some areas that I quickly noticed with Ruud (for some others areas, you need more time to assess them)?

TECHNIQUE

First of all, technique, has to be assessed in relation to efficency which suits the player’s game style.

Ruud’d forehand seems the most reliable and potent shot. He has a quick wrist movement which results in massive power, when he tries to dictate and finish the point.

Double-handed backhand is not his best shot, but at the same time not a big liability. The head of his racquet on that wing is relatively open, which leads to less spin but potentially more power. To play competitive on that side, especially on clay, you have to possess a lot of touch.

On both wings, I see some similarities with Nick Kyrgios and interestingly they both use the Yonex racquet.

His serve is reliable and already reaching good speeds, both on first and the second serve.

He rarely comes to the net, but when he does, he stays solid and knows how to approach.

Return is where most of the juniors have much space left, especially on faster surface. The same goes for Ruud.

GAME PLAN

From what I have seen, he is very disciplined with his game tactics and patterns. He is constructing the point with his forehand but being patient enough to wait for the right ball to attack. Most of young guys lack that.

Most of them also try to go for too much when getting on the back foot. Ruud stays in the rallies and waitng to counter-punch.

Much of that is probably related to great strenght in legs and upper body, especially in comparison with some of his peers.

FIGHTING SPIRIT

Casper seems not just to be a big talent but also a big fighter, which makes almost the perfect combination. He loves to fight for every point on court.

We have seen many talents not reaching their potential due to lack of fighting spirit and commitment.

That way, we can be optimistic, Ruud won’t be tanking matches like some of the other players in the TOP100.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Winning a first Challenger tour he attended and getting into the semis of a Masters 500 in Rio, after not having an ATP win under his belt before that week, is surely a good sign. He didn’t seem to be afraid of the big occassion, although he missed a match point for getting into the finals against Carreno Busta. In tough moments, he sticked to his game plan and seemed to trust himself.

And doing all that, at the age of 18 is remarkable.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

What is great about Ruud is the fact that he is already on a high level in many aspects of tennis, but still has much room for improvement.

Stamina is surely the most visible one. Having a tough schedule in juniors is one thing but when you hit the big stage, the higher the guys are ranked the better physically they are prepared for long matches.

For now, clay is by a mile the favorite surface of Casper Ruud. To be at the top, you have to adapt your game style for faster courts. Getting used to less time when preparing for a shot, being solid on the return and stepping in. Not an easy task, if we look at Dominic Thiem, he is still standing meters behind the baseline on the return and still often lacks timing on faster courts due to his big swing.

CONCLUSION

I touched only some of the most important factors for making a proper transition into pros. There is also work ethic, commitment to tennis, team around you, discipline. Those are the factors that are yet difficult to assess.

But one thing is sure, he seems to have all the weapons needed to become a shining star on the curcuit.

If he shows the performance of Rio on the upcoming tournaments, he could even skip the Challenger grinding and get almost straight onto the ATP tour. A very difficult task though. As average age in the TOP100 is rising, experience and good fitness level is obviously much needed to have consistently good results.

Even if Ruud soon reaches for higher places, sooner or later a crisis will occur. How he will respond to it, could give us a better example of how big he can really become.

P.S. Be sure to hit Youtube and see some of the Ruud’s highlights of this week in Rio, if you have not watched him before.

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https://spin-slice.com/2017/02/26/caspe ... he-become/

[Damian]

06.03.2017

Najwyżśzy ranking w karierze: 128

[Damian]

10.04.2017

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 126

[Damian]

[DUN I LOVE]

Upodobał sobie chłopak '500'. 4 z 7 wygranych spotkań w tym roku to właśnie combo Rio + Barcelona.

115 Andriej Rubliow - 481
116 Casper Ruud - 478
117 John Millman - 476

[Damian]

#NextGenATP qualifier Casper Ruud will meet Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters finalist and 10th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round after dismissing Radu Albot 6-2, 6-2 in 65 minutes. Ruud, the youngest player in the draw at 18, reached the semi-finals in Rio earlier this season and is currently sixth in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan, which will determine the 21-and-under field at the inaugural #NextGenATP Finals, to be held 7-11 November in Milan.

[Damian]

01.05.2017

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 118

[DUN I LOVE]

Nie udało się przebrnąć kwali na RG, ale kilka wyników w CH/letnich kurnikach ATP powinno go wpuścić do Top-100.

109 Serhij Stachowski - 489
110 Casper Ruud - 487
111 Tennys Sandgren - 487

[Damian]

11.06.2017

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 112

[Damian]

19.06.2017

Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 108

[DUN I LOVE]

Krąży od kilku tygodni w okolicach Top-100. Jest coraz bliżej krawędzi, ale cały czas nie może jej sięgnąć.

104 Víctor Estrella Burgos - 510
105 Casper Ruud - 507
106 Nicolas Mahut - 500

[Barty]

Casper Ruud – 19 lat, #137

Zawodnik stworzony na mączkę, z której przez cały rok schodzi dosłownie na kilka turniejów. Szerszej publiczności pokazał się niemal równo rok temu, gdy w wieku 17 lat zwyciężył w Challengerze w Sewilli. Ograł wówczas całkiem uznanych zawodników, bo m.in. Taro Daniela czy Andreja Martina. Jak się okazało, był to jego ostatni tytuł w karierze, ale w tym roku również potwierdził swoje nieprzeciętne umiejętności.

W marcu Ruud otrzymał dziką kartę w Rio de Janeiro, gdzie rozgrywano turniej ATP 500. Norweg dotarł tam aż do półfinału, po drodze pokonując Thiago Monteiro, Roberto Carballes Baenę i Rogerio Dutra Silvę. W tym roku osiągnął również swój najlepszy ranking w karierze – w czerwcu był 108. rakietą na świecie. Jeśli jednak chce pobić rekord ojca, Christiana (#39), musi zacząć grać na Wielkich Szlemach. Ruud nie przebrnął aż trzech tegorocznych kwalifikacji, co zwłaszcza na Roland Garros było uznane za dużą niespodziankę.

http://weszlo.com/2017/09/15/ktorys-nic ... ci-swiata/

[Barty]

2017 w liczbach:

Ranking: 141
Bilans meczów: 7-9
Tytuły: 0
Finały: 0
Zarobki: $222,116

[Damian]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOY-xSa ... A&index=18[/youtube]

[Barty]

AO18: pierwszy wygrany mecz na poziomie ATP/WS.

[Q] Casper Ruud (NOR) d. [Q] Quentin Halys (FRA) 6-3 3-6 6-7(5) 7-5 11-9

[Damian]

Who Will Make Milan In 2018? 18 #NextGenATP To Watch

Casper Ruud (Rank: 121; Age: 19): Ruud rose 86 spots in the year-end 2017 ATP Rankings after finishing No. 225 in 2016. The 2017 season was his debut year on the ATP World Tour, and it was highlighted by a semi-final showing at the Rio Open presented by Claro in February (l. to Carreno Busta). Ruud has already earned a career milestone to begin 2018. He picked up his maiden Grand Slam victory in Australia (d. Halys).

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/18- ... ch-in-2018

[Damian]

Finał CH w Francavilla al Mare:
* 1. finał CH w 2018 (0-1);
* 2. finał CH w karierze (1-1);

[arti]

Ruud Ousts De Minaur In Braga, Will Play For Title

Spoiler:

For the second straight week, a final in Portugal will feature a #NextGenATP star against a home hope named Sousa.

Last week, it was Joao Sousa prevailing over Frances Tiafoe at the ATP World Tour stop in Estoril. And on Sunday, Lisbon native Pedro Sousa will battle Casper Ruud at the inaugural Braga Open. A first ATP Challenger Tour title of the year will be on the line, as Ruud and Sousa meet for the €43,000 clay-court crown.

Ruud is bidding to become the first teenage winner on the Challenger circuit this year and lift the second trophy of his young career. He survived a tricky half of the draw without dropping a set, ousting fellow #NextGenATP Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-2 in Saturday's semis. Another teen - Felix Auger-Aliassime - also featured in their section.



You May Also Like: Youth Is Served: Watch Felix & Alex Battle In Braga


"The result looks easier than it was and how the match went," said Ruud following Saturday's victory. "There were some good rallies and I was taking advantage of playing with balls that moved heavier through the court. There was also a lot of wind, which is better for me than him. He plays flat and goes for big shots. A lot of things were on my side today and I was a bit lucky at times, but I used my weapons when I had to and I was just ready to play for every point. In the end, it was a comfortable win for me.

"Whenever you play a match on a Sunday, it means you are doing well. Of course you want to go for one more and give it everything you have, but it's been a great week. I haven't dropped a set yet and I'm feeling confident and ready for tomorrow.

"I saw Pedro almost beat Joao Sousa last week in Estoril. I watched a little of that, so I know he's a good player. The crowd will be against me I know that. I will just play with good fighting spirit and I hope it will take me far. As always I will do my best and hopefully he will feel more pressure than me."



Ruud is looking to add a second Challenger title to his resume, having previously emerged with the trophy in Sevilla, Spain two years ago. At the age of 17 years, eight months, he became the fourth-youngest player to win a title in his ATP Challenger Tour debut.

Now, the Norwegian teen is rounding into form on his preferred surface, reaching his second Challenger final in less than a month. Also the runner-up in Francavilla al Mare, Italy, he is projected to return to the Top 150 of the ATP Rankings with a win on Sunday.

Seeking to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals in November, Ruud will also climb two spots to eighth in the ATP Race To Milan with a victory.

On the other side of the net, Sousa is appearing in his first final of the year after enjoying a three-title campaign in 2017. The fourth seed, who reached a career-high of No. 102 last year, advanced to the final after top seed Gastao Elias retired down 0-6 on Saturday due to a right shoulder injury.

"I knew he (Gastão) had shoulder pains a few days ago," said Sousa. "In the warm-up I saw that he wasn't serving with the usual strength but I didn't know the state he was in. During the match I realised that he was not in the best of conditions and I was trying to play as many balls as possible. Unfortunately he had to retire.

"These matches are the reason why I practise every day and I hope to be well tomorrow and manage to win another tournament. I've practised with Casper a few times in Tunisia (at the Tunis Open). He's a young player, full of potential, who I'm sure will be a great player in the future. I will try to counter his weapons, make a good match to try to win."

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/bra ... ruud-sousa

[grzes430]

Ruud One Match Away From Roland Garros Main Draw Debut

Spoiler:

Kudla, Tomic also advance
One year ago, #NextGenATP Norwegian Casper Ruud fell short in the second round of qualifying at Roland Garros. But this week, Ruud is only one step away from playing in the main draw at Roland Garros for the first time. The 19-year-old beat Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan 6-2, 6-4 to reach the third and final round of qualifying.

Earlier this year, Ruud qualified and picked up his maiden Grand Slam win at the Australian Open before falling to Argentina's Diego Schwartzman in the second round.

“It’s been two good matches, four good sets, I haven’t dropped one yet. It was a big test today, especially the last one,” Ruud told RolandGarros.com. “I felt it was almost over when I had 4-1 and a double break. But he fought back and played some good points but I also stepped up my level at the end.”


You May Also Like: Courtside and Beyond, Nadal Supports #NextGenATP Munar
Ruud will next meet Frenchman Alexandre Muller, who beat #NextGenATP Aussie Akira Santillan 6-1, 3-6, 6-0. Spain's Jaume Munar ended the run of 17-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in a #NextGenATP showdown 6-3, 6-3. Munar will face #NextGenATP Korean Duckhee Lee for a spot in the main draw. Lee swept Italy's Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-4.

Aussie Bernard Tomic beat #NextGenATP Brit Jay Clarke 6-3, 6-1, but Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis fell to Estonia's Jurgen Zopp 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-2. Tomic will next face 23-year-old Goncalo Oliveira of Portugal. Zopp will play seventh seed Denis Kudla of the U.S., who beat 19-year-old Frenchman Geoffrey Blancaneaux 6-2, 6-1.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/rud ... -wednesday