It was a dominant performance reminiscent of Casper Ruud‘s run two years ago when he reached the final (eventually losing to Novak Djokovic). According to his father and coach, Christian Ruud, this success is no coincidence.
Casper Ruud stuns Alcaraz in a fiery start at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals
Casper Ruud kicked off the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in winning style, claiming his first victory over Carlos Alcaraz on Monday.
“He was really proud the first year he qualified here—it’s special to be among the top eight,” Christian told ATPTour.com. “I think it gives him an extra bit of motivation and energy. The past few months haven’t been easy for him, but we’ve put in a lot of work to try to play well here, and today we got off to a great start.
He feels comfortable on this court, and he’s also happy here in Italy with great pasta and food. I think he genuinely enjoys being here.”
From setbacks to victory
Casper has been enjoying plates of spaghetti with clams and seafood, which seems to be bringing him luck; he hasn’t beaten a top 10 player since April, when he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final in Barcelona. Coming into the match with an 0-4 record against Carlos Alcaraz, Ruud—seeded sixth—claimed a confidence-boosting 6-1, 7-5 win over the Spaniard, who had been under the weather leading up to the match.
Alcaraz initially showed no signs of fatigue early in the first set, but his energy visibly dropped as the games wore on, and he struggled to find his rhythm. For Ruud, this win was both a morale and confidence booster, especially after arriving in Italy on the back of four consecutive losses.
“I think this win will definitely change his mentality and confidence, but we stay grounded,” Christian explained. “We know every player here is strong. Whether you’re ranked 20, 40, or 70, they’re all tough opponents, and you need to play well.
Unstoppable in Italy
Casper has been dealing with some health issues in the second half of the season, which definitely played a role. But in the past couple of weeks, he’s been feeling much better, working on his game and looking to get some wins.”
Historically, Ruud has excelled on clay courts, making two French Open finals, where he’s been able to leverage his powerful forehand and aggressive baseline play. But how is he performing so well in the indoor Inalpi Arena?
“The past few tournaments have been quite fast, but these courts here seem to suit him well,” Christian noted. “He’s done well on faster courts here in the past. Having a good feeling on the surface really helps.”
With this initial win, Ruud has a 1-0 record in the John Newcombe Group, putting him in a strong position to advance past the group stage of the tournament.
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