Casper Ruud still feels that he has a point to prove even though he is currently on a career-best 14-match winning streak.
The Norweigan has shot up the rankings to a high of 12th after claiming three consecutive titles on the European clay within the past four weeks. His triumphs occurred at ATP 250 events in Stockholm, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel. To put his winning run into perspective the last ATP player to have won three trophies within as many weeks was Andy Murray a decade ago. Something Ruud hails as a better achievement than his.
“What Murray did 10 years ago is more impressive than what I have done this summer because he won a 500 and 1000, as well. That is more than three 250s in a row but it was definitely three very fun weeks,” Ruud told The Tennis Channel.
“It is something not easy to do and I was able to do it. I was proud of what I was able to achieve.”
It is without a doubt that clay is where Ruud is at his most lethal. All of his seven ATP finals appearances have been on the surface. Furthermore, all three of his career wins over top 10 players were also on the clay.
However, the 22-year-old is eager to show that he has more to give. Especially when it comes to playing on the hardcourts. This week at the National Bank Open he secured his place in the quarter-finals with wins over Marin Cilic and Dusan Lajovic. Making it his best run at a Masters 1000 event that hasn’t been held on the clay.
“I have good confidence even though it is two different surfaces. The past month I have been doing good things on the most crucial points so that also comes naturally in Toronto. I’m just trying to build on it and see how far I can go,” Ruud explains.
“It (hardcourts) is not a surface I have had as much success on as clay but I’m trying to improve. The majority of the Tour is (played) on hardcourt so I need to try to become a good player.”
After his win over Lajovic, Ruud wrote on a camera screen the words’ hard courts’ with a smiley face below it. Some assumed that his action was done in response to recent remarks from Nick Kyrgios who called his peer a ‘good player’ before accusing him of stealing points by playing clay events after Wimbledon. Although Ruud later told reporters that his writing on the camera had nothing to do with Kyrgios.
“People can maybe doubt my hardcourt skills, but I feel I am a decent hardcourt player as well. I had my best Grand Slam result at the Australian Open (reaching the fourth round) this year. I also played good in Acapulco this year, but unfortunately I had to retire with a wrist injury,” he argues.
“I don’t feel the difference is that big (between playing on clay and hardcourt) but I have played much more clay in my life.”
Ruud will play Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals on Friday who he defeated in the Madrid Open earlier this year.
