Ruud wreaks vengeance on Tsitsipas, wins Barcelona title
Seven days after they last met in a final, the Norwegian turned the tables
Casper Ruud, Barcelona 2024 | © Imago / Panoramic
Casper Ruud won the biggest title of his career thus far as he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-3 to win the Barcelona Open – turning the tables from Monte-Carlo last week.
“This has been worth all the wait,” Ruud said afterwards. “A lot of finals I’ve lost have been tough. It’s been disappointing. Any time you reach a final, it’s nonetheless a good week, so can’t be too hard on yourself, but this one has been a long time coming.
“Super-happy to be able to do it here in Barcelona in front of a packed stadium today, and Rafa Nadal Court is special to me as I looked up to him all my childhood.”
In a match that lasted just under an hour and a half, Ruud hit 19 winners and just 15 unforced errors (compared to Tsitsipas’s 17 winners and 25 unforced errors), winning 78 per cent of points on his first serve and 64 on his second.
All the Norwegian’s previous titles have been at ATP 250 level, and the straight-sets victory makes him the fourth man this year to win a tournament without dropping a set.
He also snapped a five-match losing streak in finals to win his first title since Estoril last year.
Tsitsipas, however, extended a losing streak of his own – he has now lost four times in the Barcelona final without winning the crown.
“I wasn’t playing my best tennis this week in Barcelona, the Greek said. I was still able to get to the finals. Today, I just didn’t have the mental capacity to even fight. Casper was just too good today. He deserved to win.”
