(Casper Ruud – Márton Fucsovics 6–3, 6–2) He is back on red clay. Casper Ruud is ready for the semi-finals of the Estoril Open.
SOVEREIGN: Casper Ruud but another clear victory in Portugal. Photo: RODRIGO ANTUNES / EPA / NTB
Friday 5 April at 21:33
– I played a good match. Fucsovics was not at his best. He was probably affected by the injury. But two sets were prefect for me. Now I have time to recover before the semi-final, says Ruud to the organiser.
Norway’s best with racket and golden ball is looking for the first tournament victory of the season. He is the top seed.
– Very good tennis, commented TV 2’s Sverre Krogh Sundbø.
The Norwegian is the defending champion in the tournament in Portugal. The experienced Hungarian Fucsovics (32) is number 85 in the ATP ranking The ranking of the world‘s best tennis players.. Ruud number eight.
This is also how it looked on the pitch in the first meeting between them.
In the first set, Casper Ruud only lost two points in his own service game. When Casper Ruud himself started the game… He delivered good serves throughout.
– Brilliant, said Sundbø.
– I have been working on it a lot lately, says Ruud.
In the second set, the game is broken when the opponent serves. Ruud immediately broke Fucsovics’ serve and took full control of the match to go up 3–0. Then the organiser’s physiotherapist came in to check the Hungarian. The left leg was problematic.
Ruud sat relaxed under a red towel while his opponent received treatment.
The rest became a formality for a safe-playing favourite.
Casper Ruud has twice reached the final of the biggest clay tournament of them all, the French Open. Nine of the 10 ATP victories have come on the favorite surface.
His previous tournament victory just came in the Estoril Open a year ago.
In Saturday’s semi-final, Casper Ruud meets Pedro Martinez, who is ranked number 77 in the world. Ruud beat the Spaniard in their only duel previously.
Cristian Garín and Hubert Hurkacz meet in the other semi-final.
The winner of the tournament takes home 88,125 dollars – just over 940,000 kroner at today’s rate.
Watch the moment he secured victory last year: