– It is big. Damn big. Shows once again that he is among the best gravel players in the world. Plays damn well, says father and coach Christian Ruud to TV 2.
Casper Ruud continues to take big scalps in the ATP 1000 tournament. On Friday, it was the Italian Fabio Fognini, number 18 in the world rankings, who was allowed to escape.
– It is incredibly fun to get to the semifinals here. It is one of the biggest gravel tournaments we have, and something you have dreamed about a bit, says Casper Ruud to Eurosport.
The Snarøya boy won with the set numbers 6-4, 6-3.
Crossing his fingers for Nadal
In the semifinals he can meet Rafael Nadal. Then the Spanish superstar must win against world quarterback Andrej Rublev in his quarterfinal, which is being played now.
– I want it to be Nadal. He gets a tough task against Rublev, but I hope Nadal wins. If it’s Nadal, then he’s reached the goal of meeting the big three. He can take the fight, possibly, and see how it goes, says Christian Ruud to TV 2.
The son does not hide that he wants Nadal.
– Maybe you hope a little that it happens. It would have been incredibly fun and maybe a big dream come true for me if I stand on the field against him tomorrow, says the 22-year-old to Eurosport, before he emphasizes that Nadal has a tough match against Rublev.
– GRUSKING: Rafael Nadal, number three in the world rankings, could be the next opponent for Casper Ruud. Photo: Valery Hache
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Ruud won an intense first set against Fognini. The Italian looked sharp from the start. In the fifth game, Ruud was put under very hard pressure, but the Norwegian tennis team averted four breakballs.
Then he broke Fognini’s serve by beating a brilliant winner.
Fognini surmulte
Ruud started the second set with big games. The Snarøya boy broke Fognini’s serve on the first try. The Italian was very frustrated, and responded by knocking the ball up in the stands.
Despite appearing somewhat moody, Fognini managed to break Ruud back. However, the Italian joy did not last long. Ruud broke Fognini again in a brilliantly played game. The Italian, again furious, threw the racket to the ground.
Then Ruud decided with a solid serve game.
– It is a big and historic day for Norwegian tennis, with a Norwegian in the semifinals of the Masters 1000 – and in the prestigious Monte-Carlo tournament, says Eurosport commentator Christer Francke afterwards.
– This is absolutely fantastic. Seeing him play this way here is absolutely enormous. To see a Norwegian player who keeps up with that entertainment …, says Øivind Sørvald in Ruud’s analysis team during the Eurosport broadcast.
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