"Obviously I wanted revenge" says Ruud after avenging Cincinnati defeat on clay in Barcelona

Casper Ruud's second round victory over Ben Shelton at the 2023 Barcelona Open felt extra special, as the World No.3 was able to enact revenge on the American for a surprise loss in Cincinnati last year.

Ruud pulled off a 6-2 7-6(1) win over Shelton on Tuesday, advancing to the third round after a tricky 70-minute clash. The encounter had more meaning for the Norwegian, who lost to Shelton in the second round of Cincinnati last year and had been yearning for a chance at vengeance.

"Obviously I wanted my revenge and different surface, different continent, different tournament, obviously, Cincinnati and Barcelona, but obviously, I felt a little bit more like I had a little bit more time here to build the points on clay, which is normal," said Rudd after his victory.

Nonetheless, the World No.3 was full of praise for the young American, stating Shelton had a lot of potential and would pose a threat to anyone he faced on the court.

"I think Cincinnati last year was sort of like a breakout sort of tournament for Ben where things started going so well for him," admitted Ruud. "And obviously, this year as well in Australia, he made the quarterfinals. So he's had an unbelievable progression in a very short period of time. So he's very dangerous and like I said, very athletic player."