By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, October 13, 2025Photo credit score: Matthew Calvis
The unrelenting calls for of the professional circuit could make the ATP calendar really feel like “a rat race” says Casper Ruud.
Going ahead, Ruud plans to streamline his schedule to make the season extra manageable.
In an unique interview with Nicholas Albek of Bolavip in Stockholm at this time, Ruud reiterated his assertion on the punishing ATP schedule—and the way he plans to navigate it. Learn your complete Ruud Bolavip interview right here.
Former world No. 2 Ruud stated he agrees with feedback Novak Djokovic made in Shanghai final week: The season is just too lengthy.
“After all, Novak has some extent. He has extra expertise than some other participant,” Ruud advised Nicholas Albek of Bolavip. “Certain, you’ll be able to decide and select in a approach, as a result of we’re not employed by the ATP; we’re bosses of our personal schedule.
“What I criticized and talked about on the French Open was that there’s an financial motivation to play and never skip any Masters 1000s with the bonus and every little thing.
“However yeah, positive, if you’re within the prime 10, prime 15, you make some huge cash, however you additionally spend some huge cash with all of the bills that you’ve got, so that you don’t wish to miss out on any cash should you don’t have to.
“I do know that if you’re not wholesome or not eligible to play, you gained’t be put in jail should you don’t play, however there may be additionally an financial incentive to play, and a few individuals care extra about it than others. However I believe the season is lengthy.”
Requested concerning the extension of ATP Masters 1000 tournaments this season, Djokovic stated he’s at all times been towards it.
“I felt from the very starting I used to be towards it. Truly, even after I was within the council, I believe I used to be on the time president of the council, so I used to be not supportive of that,” Djokovic stated final week on the Rolex Shanghai Masters. “I believe for the gamers it’s not good.
“From one perspective you would say, I imply, for me at my age proper now, to have the times between the tournaments is sweet. However I believe total for a lot of the gamers it simply takes away the times within the schedule, within the calendar. Personally, I’m not supportive of that.
“I perceive that there’s upside to the tournaments and so forth, however as a participant I by no means appreciated that. So I do empathize or sympathize with gamers who’re towards that, as a result of now they’re realizing, I suppose, that it’s probably not nice.”
The 26-year-old Ruud, seeded second in Stockholm, stated he plans to trim his schedule and take up the monetary hit in an effort to protect his well being.
“To have a compulsory occasion like Paris that late within the season makes the season actually, actually lengthy,” Ruud stated. “It’s the identical for everybody, however going ahead I’ll plan the schedule a bit in a different way, possibly skipping just a few occasions right here and there.”
“I had a really hectic 3 to 4 years since I reached the highest 10. I performed lots of occasions, and I performed some exhibitions within the preseason, so these are some selections that I’ve made, which I look again on and suppose I shouldn’t have finished. For the long run, that’s one thing I’ll think about.”
It’s a problem Ruud has contemplated prior to now. Following his French Open second-round exit, Ruud shared he had been competing with a knee harm largely due to the ranking-point stress and monetary influence.
“It’s sort of like a rat race in relation to the rankings, as nicely. You are feeling you’re obligated to play with sure guidelines that the ATP have arrange with the obligatory occasions,” Ruud stated at Roland Garros earlier this season. “You are feeling such as you lose quite a bit should you don’t present up and play, each economically, point-wise, ranking-wise and opportunity-wise.
“For me I do know these weeks and months are actually necessary for the remaining of the yr and for my profession. After all, if my leg is damaged, I gained’t play.
“Nevertheless it’s robust in any case, particularly when there’s a time with obligatory occasions to skip them as a result of the punishments are fairly onerous, by way of everybody else will play, acquire factors, and also you gained’t.”
Ruud, who suffered second spherical defeats on the Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open this season, retired from his Rolex Shanghai Masters opener within the third set towards Zizou Bergs. Ruud goals to bounce again in Stockholm the place he reached the quarterfinals final yr.
