By Adrianna Outlaw | Sunday, July 25, 2021
Casper Ruud topped maiden finalist Hugo Gaston 6-3, 6-2 to capture his third title of the season and fourth overall at the Swiss Open Gstaad.
Photo credit: Nordea Open Facebook
There's no slowing Casper Ruud's red roll this month.
Ruud repelled finals debutant Hugo Gaston 6-3, 6-2 to collect his third title of the season and fourth overall—all on his beloved red clay—at the Swiss Open Gstaad.
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The third-seeded Ruud saved nine of 10 break points and broke serve four times in a one hour, 34 minute win.
“Every match was good and every match I played well," Ruud said. "When you are in the final of a tournament you will give everything no matter what, and that is what I did today."
Ruud permitted just one set in four tournament wins to extend his winning streak to seven matches one week after he swept Federico Coria to win Bastad.
Despite the defeat, Gaston played creative tennis and some brilliant drop shots en route to his first ATP title. Gaston rises to a career-high ranking of No. 132 in the live rankings.
Directing play with his heavy topspin forehand, Ruud broke twice in a row to take a 4-2 lead and served out the first set without stress.
The 14th-ranked Norwegian broke in the third game and navigated a tough deuce hold for a 3-1 second-set lead.
Ruud has won 13 of his last 14 clay-court matches, including claiming three of the last four tournaments he's played on dirt: Geneva, Bastad and Gstaad.