"I wanted to make the most out of the clay season" - Casper Ruud explains reasons behind featuring at Geneva Open

Casper Ruud explained why he opted to compete in Geneva despite playing a whole load of matches ahead of Roland Garros. The two-time finalist is raring to go ahead of the second Grand Slam of the year while siding with the players as the prize money debacle goes on.

Ruud was very much on board with the rise of prize money at Grand Slam level. He was not fully up to date after coming in late from Geneva. "Honestly, I haven’t gotten any feedback because I wasn’t here. I was still playing and only arrived late last night," he stated.

The 15-minute limit when speaking to media is in protest with the rise of prize money. the players want 22% of revenue from the Grand Slam while the organisers have stuck with 15%. Ruud was very much sticking with it.

"But yes, the plan is to do a 15-minute media day today, together with the other players who are doing the same. We’re trying to send a message, use our voices and stay as united as possible."

Ruud competed in the Gevena Open as he gunned for a fourth title. His quest was abruptly halted by the eventual champion Mariano Navone in a straight set defeat at the semi-final stage. A specialist on clay, Ruud was willing to get as much tennis on this surface under his belt as possible before a shortened grass swing offers him a chance to put his feet up.

"We definitely discussed it, especially after reaching the final in Rome," Rudd told the press. "Ultimately, it came down to the fact that the year hadn’t really gone as well as I’d hoped, especially at the beginning. And when you’re on a roll and playing with confidence, I think sometimes it’s good to be a little bit greedy. That was one reason I went to Geneva."

"Another reason is that I don’t play any grass-court events before Wimbledon, so after Roland-Garros I have three weeks off to rest. I wanted to make the most out of the clay season."

There were questions surrounding his participation in Geneva due to that final run in Rome. However, the Norwegian was not fazed by the amount of time on court. "The biggest factor was that I hadn’t played many long matches in Rome," he explained. "I played nothing over an hour and a half until the final. Of course, if the final had gone three or three-and-a-half hours and I’d been exhausted, I probably would have gone to Geneva and withdrawn. But that wasn’t the case.

"I felt like I had the energy and motivation to play, and I’ve had good experiences doing that in the past. This year was a bit different because I didn’t have a first-round bye and had to play four matches in four days, but it’s okay. I’m injury-free, happy to be here, and now I have two days to get ready for my first round."

It was a much improved Ruud showcased in this clay swing. While he did plummet outside the top 20 after failing to defend his Madrid Open title, a quarter-final was a very positive result. He then backed it up with a final showing at Foro Italico, losing out to the world number one Jannik Sinner.

He compared prior meetings against the Italian to this one, with Sinner continuing his imperious form over Ruud. "I said after the final that the thing that makes him so good is that you get no breathing room from any corner of the court," he recalled. "Whether it’s a forehand cross-court rally or a backhand cross-court rally, you know the ball is coming with high pace and usually very good placement as well. So if you’re not extremely precise with your own shots, he’s immediately on top of you and ready to punish you. When you constantly feel like every shot has to be close to perfect, it becomes extra difficult mentally."

The opportunities are limited and the fact that Sinner is brilliant in almost every aspect on the court is a huge reason why he is so much better than everyone else. "You don’t get many short balls against him. He defends extremely well. When he first arrived on tour, everyone saw how cleanly he struck the ball, even at a young age. But I think his physicality, movement and defensive play have improved the most over the last two or three years. That’s why he’s taken such a big step and is dominating the way he is now.

"Even from defensive positions, you don’t really get much from him. He doesn’t give away many unforced errors or weaker shots. So when you do finally get a chance, you really have to take it — otherwise it’s kind of game over."

This was the fifth meeting between the pair, and Ruud is yet to win a set against Sinner. However, there were improvement signs from his side of the court. "My own feeling and level were better," he admitted. "I came into the match physically fresh because I hadn’t played many long matches. I got the start I wanted and broke him right away. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow it up with a good service game.

"If I’d managed to build a bigger early lead, who knows? But there’s still a lot of tennis to play, even when you’re up 2-0 or 3-0. I was happy with parts of my game that day, but towards the end of the first set and the beginning of the second, I kind of dozed off a little bit and lost some intensity and execution. That’s where the match slipped away from me."

He somewhat related it to the dominance of Rafael Nadal on clay. "It does feel similar, yes. Jannik obviously hasn’t won here 14 times like Rafa did, but he’s definitely the clear favourite right now. He’s swept through the clay season, winning all three Masters 1000 events, and this tournament feels like the final piece he needs to complete his résumé.

"I’m sure there’s pressure and nerves that come with that, but he’s definitely the player to beat and has a big target on his back. That said, we’re all human. Everyone who plays against him will try their best to stop him. That’s true for every player — anyone who plays me wants to beat me, anyone who plays Sascha wants to beat him. So it’s still an open tournament, and I think it’s going to be a really exciting edition of Roland-Garros."