The Norwegian Casper Ruud celebrated the greatest success of his tennis career to date with the title win at the ATP Masters in Madrid. The three-time Grand Slam finalist prevailed in the gripping final on Sunday against the British Jack Draper after a very hard fight 7: 5, 3: 6, 6: 4 and played back into the circle of favorites for the French Open in Paris (from May 25).
“It took a long time to such a title. Now it feels great, of course,” said Ruud: “Hopefully it will continue now.”
Ruud, who converted the first match ball after 2:29 hours, secured the 13th title on the ATP tour with just one set loss in the course of the tournament, after the last weaker months it was his first this season. The 26-year-old returns to the top 10 in the world rankings, from which he had fallen out of Madrid.
Despite the defeat, it was also a successful tournament for Draper (23). In the new ATP ranking he is number five behind Jannik Sinner (Italy), Alexander Zverev (Hamburg), Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) and Taylor Fritz (USA). Zverev had already left in Madrid in the round of 16. Alcaraz was injured, Sinner intervenes after his doping lock at the tournament in Rome, which started on Wednesday.
Against the stricken to the game, Draper initially had an advantage, was early with a break and opened 5: 3 for the set win. Nerve -minded afterwards Ruud won four games in a row. In the second sentence, Draper again achieved the first break to 4: 3, this time he closed the sentence.
Ruud fully there again in the third set
In the crucial round, Ruud, who had played in the semi-finals against Zverev-conquered Francisco Cerúndolo under pain relievers, but again. The Scandinavier turned up again with a remarkable energy performance and took the serve to the British in a temporarily high -class match for the 3-2 – he did the rest ice cold.
The world ranking aryna Sabalenka had already secured the title for women on Saturday. The 26 -year -old Belarusin triumphed for the third time in Madrid through the 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 3) via Coco Gauff (USA).