Casper Ruud is set to take a break afer the Australian Open to recover and prepare well for the Sunshine double in Indian Wells and Miami.
Ruud did not have an offseason like the majority of tennis players opting to travel with Nadal to South America for his exhibition tour. An interesting choice that was questioned by many but Ruud explained it as a good way to stay in shape for the Australian Open. He'll take his rest after the event:
"A normal calendar year in tennis, if you play a tournament every month, then the season lasts for 10 and a half months. It's not really healthy for the body at all. There are no major tournaments in February, and I will therefore use the time to train my physique and actually use that month as a kind of 'pre-season', which I would normally have in December."
He further explained:
"A lot happened in December, including the trip to South America with Nadal. I have tried to keep it going, and I thought that the Australian Open 2023 will be the last tournament before I take a small tournament break. When I make the change I'm making now, the season will be shortened to eight and a half months. That's long enough too."
And concluded with:
"It will be exciting to see if it goes well, but it is at least worth a try. When Indian Wells starts at the beginning of March, I am ready for a new year with many hectic months and tournaments in a row."