Casper Ruud described his victory at the Madrid Open—the biggest title of his career—as a well-timed confidence boost ahead of the French Open, where the world number seven will aim to reach his third final in four years and chase his first Grand Slam title.
The 26-year-old battled through a rib injury sustained in the semi-final and overcame a spirited challenge from Jack Draper to win 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in Sunday’s final. With this triumph, Ruud became the first Norwegian to claim a Masters 1000 title.
The win also ended a frustrating streak of six straight defeats in major finals, including losses at the French Open in 2022 and 2023, as well as the US Open.
“This win puts me back in a strong position in terms of rankings and seeding,” said Ruud, who surged eight places to re-enter the top 10 ahead of the second Grand Slam of the year, beginning May 25.
“Rankings don’t always matter when it comes to winning a tournament—you have to beat whoever stands in your way—but this is definitely a positive step. Paris is a place full of good memories for me, and I always arrive there with confidence.”
Acknowledging his strength on clay, Ruud added, “I consider myself a strong clay court player, and in best-of-five matches, I believe I’m even tougher to beat. That’s my mindset.”
“I don’t have to play perfectly every point or match, but I know I have the physical endurance and the right game for clay. That’s been key to my success at Roland Garros in the past.”
With more clay-court wins (125) and titles (12) than any other player since 2020, Ruud now turns his attention to the Italian Open as he continues his preparation for Roland Garros.
“This win sends a message to the rest of the field—I’m here to compete and do well for the remainder of the clay season,” he said.
