Casper Ruud observed that when Rafael Nadal plays—like his match against Alexander Zverev—it draws an exceptional crowd, including stars like Swiatek, Djokovic, and Alcaraz, who don’t usually watch the first round of a Grand Slam. “But when it’s Rafa, it’s different,” he said.
Although Ruud acknowledged Nadal’s retirement is likely, he expressed hope that Nadal would get a fitting farewell at the Davis Cup Finals.
In his ATP Finals opener against Carlos Alcaraz, Ruud was the underdog, having only three wins in his last 12 matches. Despite this, his sharp shots and strong serves, coupled with some unforced errors from Alcaraz, led to a straight-set victory. Ruud shared that playing Alcaraz is challenging since the Spaniard can hit almost any shot, but on this occasion, Alcaraz made a few critical mistakes. Ruud recalled the final game, in which Alcaraz alternated between winners and errors. Adapting to an aggressive style, Ruud stepped out of his comfort zone and found success.
