Casper Ruud reaches third round and keeps Turin hopes alive

Casper Ruud needs to reach the final in Paris this week to book his spot in the ATP Finals in Turin

Norway’s Casper Ruud in action at the ATP Erste Bank Open Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

November 3, 2021

Casper Ruud remained on course to clinch one of the final two berths at the ATP Finals by reaching the third round of the Rolex Paris Masters.

Currently No 7 in the Race to Turin, Ruud needs to reach the final in Paris to be assured of a berth in the eight-man season finale. He toook a step in the right direction with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Alexander Bublik and score his 52nd win of the season on Tuesday.

The Norwegian will meet either Diego Schwartzman or Marcos Giron next, with a quarter-final berth at stake.

Casper Ruud said he feels happy to be in the situation where is contending for a spot in the ATP Finals but knows nothing is guaranteed with several other players in contention as well.

“I’m just happy to be in this situation,” Ruud said. “Things are looking good but a lot can happen in the next two weeks. So many players behind me are playing well. Sinner has been playing great in recent weeks, Hurkacz is a great indoor player. It’s great to be part of the tight race and in two weeks we will know.”

Sinner, Hurkacz and Norrie in action on Wednesday

The three players who are closest to Ruud in the race – Jannik Sinner, Hubert Hurkacz and Cameron Norrie – are all in action at the Paris Masters on Wednesday. Each of them could secure their spot in Turin by winning the Paris title this week.

Sinner, currently eighth in the Race, takes on 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in a highly anticipated second-round encounter; Hurkacz, in 10th position in the Race with No. 9 Rafael Nadal out for the season, takes on American qualifier Tommy Paul; and Norrie, the Indian Wells champion who is now 11th in the Race, takes on big-serving Reilly Opelka.