‘He plays every point very strictly like it’s his last point,’ Casper Ruud decodes Rafael Nadal’s success mantra on clay
Follow Us
Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud, the young Norwegian star, current world number 7, is going through a perfect form in his career. After the covid break, he had reached the semifinals of three ATP Masters 1000 on clay. Clay is his favorite surface and his most successful as well. He has won six of his seven singles titles on clay.
He also reached the finals in the Miami Open 2022, where he eventually fell to the charismatic teenage superstar Carlos Alcaraz. He defeated Alexander Zverev, another claycourt superstar on the hardcourt of Miami on his way to the final.
Ruud is present in Monte-Carlo for the master’s event on the clay and talks about the challenges on the claycourt and the most formidable competitors on the surface. Rafael Nadal, the most successful player in tennis history on the claycourts, is one of them, with 13 French Open titles.
‘Rafael Nadal is ruthless on Clay’: Casper Ruud
Even though Rafa had to pull out of Monte Carlo, Ruud still talks about the challenges Rafa presented, especially on the clay. Ruud has not faced Nadal in his ATP matches, he said he has practiced with him quite a bit.
Ruud says: “He never gives you room to breathe when you play against him on clay. All the shots he produces are very heavy to face because he puts a lot of topspin and they bounce very high.”
Casper Ruud talks about Nadal’s speed on the surface and his obsession to chase down every ball. Nadal was also referred to as bull many times due to his liking for intense physical struggle on the court. Nadal liked to take his opponents into long rallies and marathon matches. Ruud also highlights this aspect of Nadal.
He says: “He plays every point very, very strictly and with an order like it’s his last point. He sets up the point very well and likes to dominate points with his forehand. With the clay, sometimes it’s more physically demanding because you play longer rallies and longer matches, and he’s there ready for it.”
Stay Updated!
Prateek Sinha
(365 Articles Published)