Norway’s Casper Ruud captured his first Masters 1000 title on Sunday, thrilling fans with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Britain’s Jack Draper in the Madrid Open final. The 26-year-old showcased his clay-court mastery despite nursing a rib injury from the semifinals.
After defeating top rivals like Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev and Francisco Cerúndolo en route to the title, Ruud staged a dramatic comeback in the opening set. Trailing 5-3, he won four straight games and broke Draper twice to seal the 7-5 opener.
Draper, 23, fought back fiercely in the second, losing just one point on serve and breaking Ruud twice to level the match. But Ruud regained control in the decider, breaking early and holding serve to lift the trophy with a final hold to love.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Ruud said on court. “I knew Jack was playing unbelievably, so I had to bring my A-plus game.” The win adds to Ruud’s impressive resume, which includes three Grand Slam final appearances and previous Masters 1000 finals in Miami and Monte-Carlo.
Despite the loss, Draper will climb to a career-high world No. 5 in the rankings on Monday, setting the stage for a breakthrough season. Tennis fans now look ahead to Roland Garros, where both players will seek further clay-court glory.
Madrid Open Quick Facts:
- Score: 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
- Key stat: Ruud won 86% of first-serve points in the deciding set
- Ranking boost: Draper jumps above Novak Djokovic to No. 5
Reference(s):
Ruud beats Draper to win Madrid Open and take first Masters 1000 crown
cgtn.com
