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– Now we may have reached the stage where we look at ourselves as competitors, says Casper Ruud about the relationship with Rafael Nadal.
RYEN (Nettavisen): Casper Ruud has made a breakthrough on the ATP tour this season and recently rose to 25th in the rankings.
Just over three weeks ago, he played through to the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, where he was beaten by world number one Novak Djokovic.
Read also: Here the opponent goes down Ruud’s throat: – You never say sorry?
I received congratulations from Nadal
Ruud, who is partly a product of the Nadal Academy in Mallorca, admits that he received a text message from the king of gravel Nadal after the semi-final encounter with the Serbian.
– I think you find it funny that someone from the academy got to where I am now. He sends “congratulations” when I do well and things like that, so that’s a nice gesture of him. I got a message from him after Rome, Ruud tells Nettavisen.
– And said …?
– I have been told not to say it literally, but he congratulated me, and it is nice for me that he follows me a bit.
Ruud says he has yet to beat Nadal in training, but hopes that he will soon have a chance to prove himself again against the best gravel player in the world, something he did more recently in connection with the Rome tournament.
– Nadal is not my babysitter
Ruud also notices a difference from where he was previously “someone who was allowed to fight Rafa” to become a legitimate sparring partner.
– Now we may have reached the stage where we look at ourselves as competitors. We are probably more there now that he is a babysitter who takes my hand and supports me. That is completely wrong. This is how I want it to be, because it shows that I have come a long way.
– What is it like to be close to such a big star? Takes a lot of space?
– Does not take up much space. He’s an extremely different person off the pitch compared to how he is. On the field, he is fearless and a bit ruthless towards opponents. You would almost think that he likes to tease them with the game he delivers, but off the field he is extremely calm, and a normal and humble person.
Also read: Boris Becker warns Norway about too high expectations of Ruud
– It’s a bit like he just flips the switch and he’s a different person when he’s out on a tennis court, so it’s been one of the most fun for me to experiment and watch. When he sits on the premises and has lunch before the game, he is pretty calm, but as soon as he starts to start the machinery, he does not stop. It is something that I have also tried to look at and bring to my game and my tennis. When you are in the field, you are there to do a job and nothing more than that.
On Thursday, Ruud jumped headlong from the ATP 250 tournament in Sardinia, Italy, when he faced Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
Ruud’s next tournament will be indoor hard court and will be played in Vienna from October 26.
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