Casper Ruud won against Lorenzo Sonego in his first match in Stockholm, and it was a crucial step for him to reach the ATP Finals.
Casper Ruud is currently number seven in the Race to Turin, where the eight best players in 2024 qualify for the ATP finals in November. After his win against Sonego in Stockholm, he shared his thoughts on the game and how much the ATP Finals mean to him.
Tough but crucial win against Sonego
In a very close match, every single point means a lot, and Ruud also believes that every match from now on can end up deciding whether he will qualify or not for Turin.
“It was tough against Sonego but a good win. He is playing very aggressive and has a good forehand and backhand. It feels really good right now. It was a very important win to me, and in some way it was very important as well in terms of reaching the ATP finals in Turin.”
“I think I played very well against Sonego. I got a good start and I played well from the baseline. From there, I felt like I controlled it but he played well, so I was not able to dominate the whole match. The good start and the break was so important.
“The match today might have decided whether I am going to qualify or not. We don’t know that, but in the end, it could be, you know. Now, I just have to win as many matches as possible to qualify.”
The ATP Finals is one of the biggest tournament‘s
The four Grand Slams and the ATP Finals are the biggest tournaments in a year, and Ruud also said that the ATP Finals is extremely important to him, as he calls it the biggest tournament on the ATP tour.
“The ATP Finals is definitely a big tournament, one of the biggest on the ATP tour for sure. Probably the biggest as it is hosted by the ATP. 2022 was a great year, where I finished the season with a good result making the ATP Finals and the final in that tournament. It means a lot to me and I would love to come back this year and play again.”
The quality of the balls have been a big topic recently in tennis, as Daniil Medvedev criticised the balls in Shanghai for being too slow, and Corentin Moutet complained about it as well here in Stockholm during his match. Despite this, Ruud himself is quite satisfied with the balls.
“For me, the balls are actually okay, even though it has been talked a lot about. To me, the ball seems quite good, but to be honest I can’t really feel any difference.”
