Casper Ruud is finally a Masters 1000 winner!
Following his maiden Masters 1000 win of his career at the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open, Casper Ruud relived his childhood memories of the time when he first attended the tournament as a child and watched from the stands. The Norwegian overcame a stiff challenge from the in-form Jack Draper, taking the match in a hard-fought 3-setter en route to lifting his first title at the Masters 1000 level.
During the customary press conference after the match, Ruud was asked whether he remembered anything from his experience here as a fan some 15 years ago. The world number 7 recounted that time when his grandmother sponsored him for a trip anywhere in Europe as a birthday gift when he turned 10 years old. Ruud recalled how he wanted to watch a tennis match, and at the time, Madrid felt like a good place to do so.
“My grandmother she gave me like a trip anywhere I wanted in Europe when I was 10 when I turned 10 that was like my birthday gift from my grandmother and I said I wanted to go and watch tennis and Madrid was a good option and I think it was one of the first years Madrid was played here in Caja Mágica.”
The Norwegian also expressed how it was a special feeling and ‘a dream come true’ to come back to the tournament as a winner now after 11 years, having previously enjoyed the performances of other players.
“I loved every minute watching the players play either match or practice, so it’s really fun to come back as a player yourself and a dream come true, you know, honestly, to have this trophy here as I’ve been here since I was 11 years old.”
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The win in Madrid will have a significant impact on Ruud as he continues to prepare for the year’s second Grand Slam at Roland Garros at the end of the month. While he will once again be in action on the clay at the Italian Open, the win in Spain will no doubt give him a huge boost in confidence. The win is all the more important given that it is his first victory at the Masters 1000 level, and it will prepare him for the remaining clay-court swing.
Read More: 2025 WTA Italian Open in Rome: A Look at the Top 4 Seeds and Their Paths to the Final
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