Casper Ruud
criticized the clay courts at the Hamburg European Open after his victory against
Sebastián Baez.
The
Norwegian tennis player is one of the main exponents on clay courts. Since
2020, Ruud has achieved 10 titles, all of them in ATP 250 tournaments, and nine
of these victories have been on clay.
He has also
reached five finals on the same surface, two of them at Roland Garros, where he
lost in 2022 to Rafael Nadal and in 2023 to Novak Djokovic.
Casper Ruud
had a difficult start to the tournament against the Argentine Sebastián Baez,
whom he defeated in three sets to advance to the second round. According to the
journalist Jose Morgado, the 24-year-old athlete seemed to be upset with the
condition of the courts at the Hamburg Open.
“After the
first three games, Casper Ruud tells the umpire that this Hamburg court is ‘the
worst clay court he played all year on tour’.”
In his second-round
match, once again Ruud had difficulties in securing the victory, this time
against the world No. 120 Christian Garin. The Chilean had a dominant start and
broke Ruud three times to take the first set 6-1, but the world No. 4 managed
to turn the match around and ended up with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 win. After the
victory, Ruud commented:
“The last two matches against
both Garin and Baez has been tough challenging because they move really well,
both of them cover the court great and the play specially from the backhand
site quite, like flat, low to my backhand croos court hich can be a little bit
troubling for me sometimes.”
With his victory, the
tournament's top seed will now face 19-year-old Arthur Fils, who advanced to
the quarter-finals with wins over Daniel Elahi Galan and Dusan Lajovic. Fils
and Ruud have never faced each other in their careers and will have their first
encounter on Friday in the closing match on the center court.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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