A tale of two halves for Casper Ruud in 2024
The Norwegian went through some lean patches but managed to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin once again
Casper Ruud, UTS New York
It was a tale of two halves for Casper Ruud this season. The Norwegian fought his way back into the top 10 by March, won two titles and played three more finals before reaching the last four at Roland-Garros. That’s when his season took a turn for the worse, contracting a parasite in Paris with lingering effect as he reached just one more semi-final until the end of the year. Even so, he still made it to Turin and finished the season on a high note.
All in all, another very good season for the Norwegian, who first broke the top 10 in September 2021. Since then, he’s never been ranked lower than No 12, which speaks volumes about his consistency among the elite group of players.
Regarded as one of the most underrated players on the tour, Ruud proved doubters wrong once again in 2024. His patient brand of tennis based on his heavy forehand and great footwork is paying dividends week in and week out, as he looks to improve his game to be able to match the crème de la crème on the biggest stages.
After runner-up showings in Los Cabos and Acapulco on his lesser-preferred surface of hard courts, Ruud moved on to the clay season and beat Alejandro Tabilo, Hubert Hurkacz, Ugo Humbert and Novak Djokovic before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Monte-Carlo Masters final. The following week, he took revenge on Tsitsipas in the finals of the Barcelona Open and won Geneva after sub-par outings in Madrid and Rome.
Just as Ruud usually does, he peaked in time for the French Open. A two-time runner-up, he made it to the semi-finals and lost to Alexander Zverev in four sets. During the match, Ruud was obviously hampered by what turned out to be a parasite that glued him to bed for 10-11 days.
The 26-year-old won one match at Wimbledon and made it to the quarter-finals of the Olympics, but he caught the flu in Montreal. He recovered in time to be close to his usual self in New York, but he lost to the eventual runner-up Taylor Fritz in the fourth round.
Autumn tennis is not something that Ruud particularly enjoys. “Maybe I should stay home in the future,” he said jokingly of his one win in six tournaments following the US Open. Somewhat miraculously, Ruud came to life in the ATP Finals once again and progressed to the semi-final stage for the third time in as many showings, notching wins over Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev in the group stage.
Biggest Win: Out of his six top 10 wins this season, the one that stands out is his first victory over then world No 1 Novak Djokovic in six attempts, in the Monte-Carlo semifinals 6-4 1-6 6-4. “This is a day I will remember for a really long time – beating a world No. 1 is something I’ve never done, beating Novak is something I’ve never done,” said Ruud. “I’m just a little bit in a state of shock, I just didn’t want to let it slip away.”
What-If Moment: Ruud was on the verge of a third consecutive French Open final before falling ill just prior to his semi-final match. Zverev would have been a demanding foe even if Ruud was at 100 percent, and Carlos Alcaraz was awaiting in the finals, but one always wonders what could’ve been.
Looking Ahead: Over the past couple of years, Ruud has vastly improved his serve and his backhand. In order to be a contender at the biggest tournaments, he might have to step outside of his comfort zone somewhat yet simultaneously keep the style of play that makes him so difficult for many rivals. It’s a delicate balance, but one Casper will strive to find!!
