Casper Ruud is in the final in Madrid. © APA/afp / JAVIER SORIANO

Ruud storms into the final despite rib pain

Casper Ruud has reached the final of the Masters tournament in Madrid. The Norwegian clay-court specialist easily won in straight sets on Friday – despite sore ribs.

02 May 2025

From: never

"I honestly wasn't sure if I could finish the match," Ruud explained after his semifinal victory over Argentinian Francisco Cerúndolo (6-4, 7-5). "I felt something in my rib during the warm-up, especially towards the end before I went on court, and I felt it with almost every shot, especially my serve. Luckily, I was able to treat it quickly." Thanks to some painkillers, the 26-year-old was able to fully focus on the match and converted his second match point after 1:54 hours.

This marks Ruud's third career Masters final, but the two-time French Open finalist has never won a title in this category. Should he break the spell on Sunday, he would become the first Norwegian to win the Masters since its inception in 1990. His entry into the final also seals his return to the top 10 of the world rankings after a two-week absence.

Musetti fails against Draper

In the title showdown, Ruud will face Briton Jack Draper. The Brit ended Lorenzo Musetti's Madrid fairytale on Friday evening (6:3, 7:6). Last year's winner Andrei Rublev was eliminated in the round of 4 by Alexander Bublik (6:6, 0:4, 6:XNUMX). Carlos Alcaraz, the crowd favorite in the run-up to the tournament, withdrew from the Masters at short notice due to adductor problems.