By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 18, 2021
Casper Ruud hasn’t cracked the Top-10 at this stage of his young career, but at 22 years of age the Norwegian is already playing like a top tenner on clay.
On Sunday he continued his excellent run on the surface, capturing the Nordea Open in Bastad, Sweden, by powering past Federico Coria of Argentina, 6-3, 6-3.
Ruud, currently ranked 16 (projected to match his career-high 14 in Monday's ATP rankings), improved to 27-9 overall in 2021, and 20-5 on clay in 2021. Overall, Ruud owns a 66-30 record on the surface.
Casper Ruud, By Surface, Career:
Clay 66-30
Hard 22-29
Grass 2-3
Ruud becomes the first player from Norway to raise the trophy at Bastad. His father and coach, Christian, reached the final in 1995.
Ruud has made a habit of outshining his father on the court—the Norwegian became the highest-ranked player from Norway after he won his maiden title at Buenos Aires in 2020, surpassing his father’s highest-ranking of 39.
“To win here means a lot,” he said. “You get a little extra nervous as the No. 1 seed. Me and my father have been joking about when I am going to beat him at this and this, and now I think I have beaten him in everything! The Ruud family can finally bring the trophy home to Norway. It is a special feeling having him here with me.”
Ruud dropped just 13 games in his three matches at Bastad. Coria, the younger brother of former ATP star Guillermo (a former World No.3 and nine-time ATP titlist), was playing his first ATP final. He fell behind in both sets, but pushed Ruud until the finish, showing some excellent baseline tennis on the clay as well.