Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook
Major and Masters finals were serious stumbling blocks for Casper Ruud.
Today, a rugged Ruud staged red revival in Madrid’s Magic Box.
Serving for his maiden Masters 1000 crown, Ruud threw down a commanding love hold, closing a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Jack Draper to make history capturing the Mutua Madrid Open championship.
Winless in the six biggest finals of his career—three Grand Slam finals, two Masters 1000 finals and the 2022 ATP finals—a resourceful Ruud broke through those final futilities, snaring his 13th career championship in his 25th final.
It wasn’t easy.
Despite his best tennis eluding him, Ruud showed toughest winning his biggest title. Ruud broke when Draper served for the opening set at 5-4, snatched a set in which he was largely outplayed, then backed his serve brilliantly in the decider winning 12 of the last 15 points played on his serve. Ruud denied seven of 10 break poins in a two-and-a-half hour triumph.
This victory vaults the former world No. 2 back up to No. 7. And with Roland Garros looming on May 25th and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz, Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic and Munich title holder Alexander Zverev all facing some question marks, Ruud’s rise comes at the right time.
“You’re a threat to everyone now doesn’t matter where, doesn't matter when,” Ruud told Draper afterward. “I think the sky is the limit for you…
“Keep going, it’s an honor to watch you play. Luckily, it was my day today.”
Indian Wells champion Draper had not dropped a set en route to his first clay-court final. Draper showed stretches of the dynamic tennis that have propelled him past Djokovic to world No. 5, but the Briton seemed to tire in the final stages and as he said: Ruud took more risk on pivotal points and reaped the rewards.
“First ATP win for you, I think you really deserve this,” said Draper, who is three years younger than Ruud and shares the same December 22nd birthday. “The way you played today you were braver than me in the key moments. You deserve this…
“So I just want to congratulate you and the rest of your team for all the hard work.”
Though two-time French Open finalist Ruud carried more clay-court final experience in this match, he also had the added burden of playing for his first Masters 1000 championship.
Jitters emerged early: Ruud scattered successive double faults donating the break and a 2-1 lead to the Briton.
Down 15-30 in the next game, Draper drilled successive forehand strikes down the line then bolted a backhand winner backing up the break for 3-1.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Draper blinked.
The left-hander hit his first double fault to drop to 30-all. Seeing the Briton uptight, Ruud pounced. Ruud ripped a series of heavy forehands breaking back to level after 10 games.
In the semifinals, Ruud was outplayed for lengthy stretches yet played pivotal points with more care surviving Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 7-5 in Friday’s semifinals.
The 23-year-old Draper had not dropped a set and only permitted a couple of breaks en route to the final.
Feeling opening-set scoreboard pressure, Draper dropped serve twice in a row. Ruud spun a deep return to turn the tables, followed a drive forward and knocked off a forehand volley for set point.
Aiming to exploit Ruud’s deep return position, Draper tried the serve-and-volley. It did not go well. Letting a Ruud return float by instead of jumping for a smash, Draper turned and bungled a retrieval shot.
An opportunistic Ruud snatched a 52-minute first set despite playing catch-up for about 45 minutes of the set. Across the net, a raging Draper was ranting at his box after letting the moment slip.
Midway through the second set, Draper made his move.
Pinning Ruud deep with his drives, Draper drew a netted forehand for the first break point of set two.
Stepping in the court, Draper rocked flat forehand winner down the line breaking for 4-3 with a clenched fist toward his box.
Playing off the front foot, Draper was driving the ball with more authority. Lashing a forehand down the line, Draper confirmed the break for 5-3.
This time, Ruud could not rally. A double fault and sprayed forehand but the three-time major finalist in a triple-set point hole.
On his third set point, Draper induced an errant forehand to force a final set after 89 minutes of play. Draper played a near flawless set striking 12 winners against a single error.
Tension tightened during an 11-minute third game. Ruud earned three break points only to see Draper deny each of them, including whipping an ace out the third. Withstanding Ruud pressure and a time violation warning from chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani, Draper navigated a grueling 11-minute hold for 2-1.
Contesting his 25th career final, Ruud repelled a couple of break points leveling after four games then turned up the stress level on the left-hander.
Scattering successive forehands, Draper faced break point. Draper saved his sixth straight break point only to see Ruud flick a full stretch forehand volley for another break point. When Draper’s backhand went wide, Ruud snatched the crucial break for 3-2.
Showing no stress at closing time, Ruud whipped one final topspin forehand down the line to seal a two hour, 29-minute conquest with arms thrust toward the sky.
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In his third Masters 1000 final, Ruud is finally a Masters 1000 champion.