The 24-year old Norwegian climbed the top of tennis olymp in 2022, reaching the final of two Grand Slams and finishing the year as world number 3. We’ve asked him about the key to his success, his personal idols and his outlook on 2023…
You’ve had an amazing year. What do you think is the key to your success?
I think, that I have been able to always improve some small things in my game. In the end I guess, I am a player, who has a good basic level, and it doesn’t drop very often down below my average. My average tennis contains of less errors than most of my opponents’, but my game is not the most flashy, it’s not the most powerful, it’s not the most beautiful to watch for sure, but in the end it’s stability, what works. The season is long and of course there are ups and downs, but if you are ready to keep your level steady throughout the whole year, good things may come your way.
“My average tennis contains of less errors than most of my opponents’, but my game is not the most flashy, it’s not the most powerful, it’s not the most beautiful to watch for sure, but in the end it’s stability, what works.”
Casper Ruud
Which player was your role model?
A player, that I looked up to, who is not very often talked about, is Roberto Bautista Agut. He is a player, who is always steady stable throughout the whole year. Maybe he has not gotten into the top 5 or the top 3 in the world, but in the end he has been around top 20, top 10 for so many years. So I think, he is a player, who has sort of lead the way a little bit and showed me the way, of how consistend you can be. You can not always look on Rafa or Novak and think you can have the same career as these guys, because it is unbelievable, what they have done. So I looked at other players and Roberto Bautista Agut is a player I liked watching, because he is always so steady stable and has done well so many years in a row.
What is your outlook on 2023?
If I’ll finish next year as number 1, I’d be the happiest man on earth probably, if I’ll finish as number 3, I’d be close to as happy as number 1. If I’ll be number 6 for example, I would also be very happy. If I’ll be number 15, 16 or 17, I probably won’t be as happy. So the goal is to keep myself in the top 10 and try to compete with the top guys in the world. Next season people gonna come up, that try to knock me away from my position and claim my number 3 ranking. I gonna need a good year in order to stay where I am. That’s gonna be tough, if you look at the potential of the players out there. There are so many players that can fight with each other for the top 10 positions.
Photo: © IMAGO / Action Plus
