Casper Ruud and Nick Kyrgios are no good and friendly match. Now the quarrelsome fans meet on the hard surface of the Master 1000 tournament in California – almost three years after their first and only duel. It ended in scandal and endless gagging on social media.
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76 million kroner is in the total pot in Indian Wells, where the main arena holds 16,000 spectators. This makes it the world’s second largest tennis stadium. Night to Tuesday Norwegian time (approx. 03.15) Casper Ruud (23) gets ready for the third round after beating the American Christopher Eubanks 7-6, 6-2. On the other side of the net: Nick Kyrgios (26), who beat Federico Delbonis 6–2 / 6–2 in the previous round.
The Australian “celebrated” the victory over the Argentine by leaning against a TV camera and into the lens proclaiming “Did you see that? Got in his head. »
Ruud is ranked number eight in the world, Kyrgios as number 132.
It is almost considered uninteresting, the backdrop taken into account.
It dates back to May 2019. Ruud against Kyrgios in the second round of the Italian Open. Kyrgios went bananas in the third set, threw a chair onto the (gravel) course and was disqualified. A few hours later, Kyrgios apologized, on Instagram, and explained the outburst by saying that emotions had prevailed. Casper Ruud turned in a dismal performance, however. In an interview, he referred to Kyrgios as an idiot (on the court) – and in other words. In summary: Not quite well preserved.
He thought Kyrgyz should have been banned for six months.
Thus it was, one verbal smash after another.
– Hey, Casper Ruud. Next time you have something to say, I’ll appreciate it if you said it directly to me. I’m sure you would not be so big in the mouth after that. Until then, I’d rather see paint dry than see you play tennis. It’s boring as hell, Nick Kyrgios wrote on Twitter.
He added that he understood why the Norwegian had to mention his name. That was because no one knew Ruud was playing tennis, according to Kyrgios.
That was three years ago. They have not met for a tennis match after that. That time on gravel, traditionally Casper Ruud’s favorite surface. Now on so-called hardcourt, Kyrgio’s favorite track deck has grown.
Eurosport describes the battle as a fight you just have to take with you.
– It’s time to get the popcorn. It is without a doubt the expected hottest third-round showdown in Indian Wells, writes the licensee on its website.
One reason why – three years after the Rome uproar – there may still be a bit of a fire in the cauldron is Kyrgios’ reaction when Casper Ruud joined three gravel titles in a row last summer. The victories in Båstad, Gstaad and Kitzbühel sent him racing up to 12th place in the world rankings. Kyrgios was obviously not impressed. He thought that the Norwegian only played for the points, and that it was “sad”. Ruud answered – again on social media – by asking the rhetorical question: Which gravel tournament is your favorite?
Kyrgios: Mora di.
The message deleted they have.
Nick Kyrgios has barely played games during his two games in the prestigious Indian Wells tournament.
– Mentally, I have never felt as good as now, to be honest, he said after beating Argentine Sebastian Baez 6-4 / 6-0 in the first round on Friday.
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