Casper Ruud Anticipates ‘Tough’ Italian Open Quarterfinal Against Jannik Sinner
Casper Ruud has lost all three matches he has played against World No.1 Jannik Sinner on the hard courts.
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Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Tennis Channel, TennisTime)
Casper Ruud is chasing his second title of the season following his success at the Madrid Open. On Wednesday (May 14), the Norwegian ace extended his head-to-head record against Spain’s Jaume Munar in the fourth round of the Italian Open to set up a quarterfinal clash with Jannik Sinner.
The match, scheduled on May 15, will be their fourth encounter on the tour. But the match will also be their first on clay as their previous three matches were held on hard courts.
The last time they faced each other was in the semifinals of the ATP Finals which the three-time Major champion won and later became a champion in the tournament for the first time in his career. Although the Italian has an edge in terms of the head-to-head record, Ruud has better records than him on the red dirt.
But tomorrow [Thursday] will be one of the toughest matches of the year probably. I got beaten pretty bad by Jannik in Turin. This time we’re playing in Italy again but it’s another surface, another tournament. So let’s see. He’s been looking good since the first match. I’ve been feeling pretty good.
Casper Ruud said during his on-court interview
Ruud has lifted 13 titles, 12 of which he captured on clay, including the Madrid Open which he won by beating Jack Draper before entering the Rome Open. Sinner, on the other hand, has won just one clay-court title: the 2022 Umag Open.
Jon Wertheim makes his feelings known on Jannik Sinner’s return
Jannik Sinner served his three-month doping ban he was handed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in January. The ban did not force him to miss a Grand Slam tournament as it was given after the Australian Open and ended on May 4, before the French Open, which is scheduled to start on May 25.
Top tennis journalist Jon Wertheim gave his “hot take” on Sinner’s return in the Rome Open, the tournament where he has not yet progressed to the semifinals and skipped last year due to an injury. Wertheim thinks that though Sinner received a warm welcome in Rome because he is a home favorite, it may not be the case in other venues.
That was a really warm reception and regardless of how you feel about him and the circumstances of his case, a guy returning from a 90-day anti-doping sanction, there is some stress and pressure. Who knows how a crowd anywhere other than your home country will respond to that.
Jon Wertheim said on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast
The Italian Open is Sinner’s first tournament since the Australian Open where he defended his title by denying World No.2 Alexander Zverev his first Major title. Sinner, who defeated Francisco Cerundolo in the previous round, extended his winning streak to 24 matches as he has not yet lost a match since winning the Shanghai Masters in October last year.
If Sinner beats Casper Ruud and reaches the semifinal, he will set up a clash with Hubert Hurkacz or Tommy Paul. In the final, the 23-year-old could meet World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz who has made it to the semifinals by knocking out this year’s Madrid Open finalist Jack Draper.
Alcaraz, who will be meeting Lorenzo Musetti in the last four, is chasing his third title of the season after the Rotterdam Open and the Monte Carlo Masters. The Spaniard edges Sinner 6-4 in the head-to-head matchups and clinched victories in the last three official matches they played last year. Sinner and Alcaraz are also projected to meet in the final at the Roland Garros as the four-time Major champion will be the second seed in the clay-court Major.
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