Casper Ruud made a strong comeback to gain his revenge.
The Norwegian recovered in style from the disappointment of Monte-Carlo final defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas, prevailing against the Greek in straight sets at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell as the pair met in a final for the second straight week.
The victory capped a big fortnight for Ruud, who backed up his maiden championship-match appearance in Monte-Carlo by lifting his first ATP 500 crown at the Real Club de Tenis-Barcelona.
“Honestly, this has been worth the wait,” said Ruud, who had been to seven previous finals above ATP 250 level without winning a trophy. “A lot of finals that I’ve lost have been tough, a bit disappointing. Any time you reach a final, it’s nonetheless a good week, so you can’t be too hard on yourself, but this one has been a long time coming.”
With his title run, the World No. 6 surged to third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 25-year-old Ruud has enjoyed a return to his best form in the first four months of 2024, during which he has racked up a Tour-leading 29 wins.
The ATP Tour now heads to the Spanish capital for the Mutua Madrid Open, where Jannik Sinner is the top seed. Home favourite Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to become the first man to lift the Madrid trophy three times in a row, while record five-time champion Rafael Nadal, fresh from his comeback appearance in Barcelona, will also compete.
Photo/CasperRuud/X
ATP contributed to this column
