By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday April 11, 2024
For Casper Ruud, the 2024 clay-court season is all concerning the angle.
The Norwegian has already carved out an enviable profession on the floor, which incorporates two Roland-Garros finals, 9 ATP titles, and 125 wins in opposition to simply 46 losses, however now that he’s 25, and with so many constructive experiences underneath his belt, Ruud is aiming for larger and higher.
That every one begins, says Ruud, with professionalism and consistency.
“I’m searching for extra regular outcomes,” he mentioned on Thursday after defeating Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4, 6-2 . “I informed myself that I want to attain the quarterfinal or higher each time I present as much as a event on the clay – that is sort of the principle objective for the clay season. “If that is, 5, six quarterfinals in a row, I am going to take it however after all you wish to go even deeper.”
Man on a mission 🔥
Casper Ruud will get the entry to his twelfth profession Masters QF as he ends Hubert Hurkacz’s successful streak and improves to 2-1 within the head-to-head in opposition to him
6-4 6-2
He’s 5-0 within the earlier Masters QFs performed on clay pic.twitter.com/3wyIxkKgw5
— Mario Boccardi (@marioboc17) April 11, 2024
Ruud says he’s coming into this stage of his profession with a unique perspective. He desires to be extra assertive on the court docket – and he is aware of he has the sport to try this.
Not that he hasn’t already — Ruud leads all ATP gamers in clay court docket wins (96), finals (13) and titles (9) because the begin of the 2020 season.
“I’ve sort of set that as somewhat minimal to attempt to are available in with a unique mentality this 12 months and count on somewhat bit extra for myself,” he mentioned. “I’ve had a couple of good outcomes prior to now on clay, clearly Roland-Garros twice in a row with a very nice end result, that provides me confidence to say this stuff that I’m going to attempt to do properly in each clay event.
“Typically it’s important to say sure issues, that you just imagine in your self, and I’ve gained plenty of self-belief after a couple of leads to my profession already. I am getting older and there are extra younger guys coming.”
Now that he’s one of many veterans on tour, the Tenth-ranked Norwegian is aware of he has to face up and defend his territory. For him, all of it begins on the crimson clay.
“I turned 25, a couple of months in the past and I mentioned: ‘It is time to sort of develop up. You are an grownup. Now you are a grown man, and it’s important to present as much as each event, believing extra in your self and coming with possibly somewhat bit completely different angle,’” Ruud mentioned. “So I am attempting [to do that] that this clay-court season.”
