Ruud aims to impose experience as Bergs seeks breakthrough in Shanghai
The 11th seed, Casper Ruud, is set to face Zizou Bergs in the second round of the Shanghai Masters. Ruud, benefiting from a first-round bye as a seeded player, meets Bergs, who advanced with a straight-sets upset over Sebastian Korda.
Ruud’s season began with promise, opening with a finals run in Dallas before falling in straight sets to Denis Shapovalov. His standout achievement came in Madrid, where he claimed his 13th career title, defeating Jack Draper in a thrilling three-set final after taking down Francisco Cerundolo and Daniil Medvedev en route. The Norwegian has also made quarterfinal appearances in Barcelona, Rome, and Gstaad, though early exits and an illness-related retirement in Acapulco have interrupted his rhythm. Across the season, he has fired 260 aces, won 72% of first-serve points, and converted 39% of 304 break-point opportunities.
Casper Ruud is officially an ATP Masters 1000 champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/1UEDE6uoUs
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) May 4, 2025
Bergs arrives in Shanghai riding career-high momentum as the world No. 44 and Belgium’s top-ranked player. While he has yet to capture his first ATP title this season, he has reached two main-draw finals in Auckland and Libema, falling to Gael Monfils and Gabriel Diallo, respectively. He also reached the semifinals in Open 13 and the quarterfinals in Munich and made a career-high run to the third round of the US Open before a straight-sets loss to Jaume Munar. Outside those results, early-round exits have been a recurring theme. Statistically, Bergs has fired 291 aces, won 72% of first-serve points, 30% on return, and converted 38% of 293 break-point opportunities.
A Big Win for…
— Tick Tock Tennis (@TickTockTennis) October 1, 2025
🗣️ZIZZOOOOUUUUU!!!
Zizou Bergs is off and running in Shanghai, getting by Sebastian Korda, 6-4, 7-5, to clear the opening hurdle at the penultimate Masters 1000 of the year.
The Belgian is hoping to finish the year inside the top 50 for the first time in 2025. pic.twitter.com/hlVpwv05La
Casper Ruud and Zizou Bergs do not have a head-to-head yet.
| Casper Ruud | Category | Zizou Bergs |
| 12 | Current Ranking | 44 |
| 291-153 | Career W-L | 49-60 |
| 33-13 | YTD W-L | 26-23 |
| 13 | Career Titles | 0 |
| 0 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 1 | YTD Titles | 0 |
Bergs arrives in Shanghai riding career-high momentum and eager to prove himself, but Ruud’s consistent season and ability to deliver in big matches make him the likely victor in what could be a competitive match.
Casper Ruud hits an ABSURD volley against Matteo Berrettini in Tokyo.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 26, 2025
Barely drops over the net… perfection.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
pic.twitter.com/uHVY3N82GI
Prediction: Casper Ruud in straight sets
At -300, Casper Ruud enters as the clear favorite over Zizou Bergs at +235, with his superior experience and recent title-winning form in Madrid giving him the edge.
Here are the betting odds according to FanDuel:
Casper Ruud: -300
Zizou Bergs: +235
Here are the odds for total games as well as total sets for both players (sourced via FanDuel):
Set 1 Winner Ruud: -220
Set 1 Winner Bergs: +174
Set 2 Winner Ruud: -245
Set 2 Winner Bergs: +194
(According to FanDuel: FanDuel offers exclusive promo codes, bonus deals and accurate odds for users upon signing up. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game in all sports!)
Mandatory Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
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mma I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.
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