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CASPER RUUD CAPTURES FIRST MASTERS 100O TITLE IN MADRID

The Norwegian star overcomes Jack Draper in straight sets to win the biggest title of his career. 

Casper Ruud achieved a significant milestone in his tennis career by winning the 2025 Madrid Open, marking his first ATP Masters 1000 title. In a closely contested final, Ruud overcame Britain’s Jack Draper with a scoreline of 7–5, 3–6, 6–4, showcasing resilience and a strong will to win on the clay courts of Madrid.

"This victory is particularly noteworthy as it ends Ruud’s streak of losses in major finals, including previous defeats in Miami 2022, Monte Carlo 2024, and three Grand Slam finals. The win not only adds a prestigious title to his resume but also propels him back into the ATP Top 10, now ranked World No. 7.

Jack Draper, despite the loss, has had a remarkable run in 2025. His performance in Madrid, including victories over top players, has elevated him to World No. 5, making him the fourth British man to reach the ATP Top 5. At 23 years and 121 days old, Draper also became the youngest British man in the Open Era to reach ATP finals on clay, grass, and hard courts.

To secure this win, Casper Ruud navigated a challenging draw. He commenced his campaign with a straight-sets victory over Alexander Shevchenko in the second round. In the third round, Ruud faced and defeated Sebastian Korda. The fourth round saw him overcome Taylor Fritz, followed by a quarterfinal win against Daniil Medvedev. In the semifinals, Ruud bested Francisco Cerundolo before clinching the title with a hard-fought victory over Jack Draper in the final.

 Inside the Baseline…

Ruud’s Madrid title feels like a long time coming and well-earned. Often overshadowed by flashier opponents, Casper Ruud has quietly built one of the most consistent clay-court resumes on tour. This win not only silences questions about his ability to win the big ones, but it firmly places him among the favorites for Roland Garros. His game may not scream highlight-reel, but it now screams champion.

 - Tennishead.net

TENNIS IN THES VIRW | CASPER RUUD VS. JACK DRAPER | COURT-LEVEI HIGHLIGHTS | MADRID 2025 FINAL

 

CASPER RUUD VS. DANIIL MEDVEDEV | MADRID 2025

 

CASPER RUUD VS. HOLGER RUNE | BARCELONA 2025

 

ZVEREV VS. RUUD | SEMI-FINAL | ROLAND GARROS 2024

DJOKOVIC ROCKS FRENCH OPEN WITH WITHDRAWAL, SINNER ASSURED OF TOP RANKING

USA TODAY Sports 

 Novak Djokovic's French Open title defence ended with a whimper following the top seed's withdrawal due to a right knee problem while Jannik Sinner celebrated his imminent takeover as world number one with a crushing win over Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday.

There was no drama on the women's side as holder Iga Swiatek continued her quest for a fourth Roland Garros trophy by hitting top gear during a 6-0 6-2 victory over 2019 runner-up Marketa Vondrousova to also reach the semi-finals.

American third seed Coco Gauff earlier fought back to beat fan-favourite Ons Jabeur 4-6 6-2 6-3 and will take on Swiatek in a tantalising rematch of their 2022 final, which the Pole won.

Roland Garros was rocked towards the end of Sinner's routine win as organisers announced that Djokovic had withdrawn from his 2023 final rematch with seventh seed Casper Ruud in the last-eight on Wednesday.

It meant that Sinner, who ended Djokovic's quest for an 11th Australian Open title en route to his first Grand Slam trophy in January, will also take his top ranking next Monday and become the first Italian to do so.

USA TODAY Sports 

Djokovic needed a superhuman effort and five sets to subdue Argentine Francisco Cerundolo on Monday after being dragged the distance for a second straight contest and the Serb aggravated the injury he had been carrying by slipping on court.

The French Open said MRI results revealed that Djokovic, who played on with pain-killers, had suffered a torn medial meniscus that prompted him to take the decision.

It was the latest in a series of unfortunate events for the 37-year-old, who won three out of the four majors last year but has looked off the pace this season, with defeats and an injury threatening his bid for Wimbledon and Paris Olympics glory.

Even as Djokovic arrived at Roland Garros to clean out his locker, Sinner was easing to a 6-2 6-4 7-6(3) win over Dimitrov and the 22-year-old said he had achieved a lifelong dream, even if it was not the way he expected to.

"What can I say? First of all it's every player's dream to be number one. On the other hand, seeing Novak retiring here is, for everyone, disappointing. I wish him a quick recovery," Sinner said.

The Australian Open champion could face a potentially tricky test against two-times Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz or former Roland Garros runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas who face off later.

- Sridhar 

NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS IN 5 SETS AT FRENCH OPEN, UNSURE OF KNEE

Novak Djokovic won his 370th career match in a Grand Slam event, breaking a record that he shared with Roger Federer. With his five-set victory over Francisco Cerundolo, Djokovic also reached his 59th quarterfinals in a Grand Slam event, also a record. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

 PARIS -- Novak Djokovic was not sure whether he would be able to play in the French Open quarterfinals after injuring his right knee Monday and needing anti-inflammatory pills to be able to finish his thrilling five-set victory against No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo.

Djokovic, down a set and a break in the match, rallied to win 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 at Roland Garros for his record 370th win in a Grand Slam match.

"I was," Djokovic said, "maybe three or four points away from losing this match."

Djokovic said he has been bothered by the knee for a couple of weeks, but it got worse after he tweaked it early in the second set Monday. He took a medical timeout, then was visited a few other times by a trainer and a doctor, who gave him the medicine that Djokovic said eventually helped him feel better and move without restrictions.

After the match, Djokovic said there was a moment where he wondered whether he should continue. He said early scans on the knee are positive, but he still has concerns and will have more scans Tuesday.

He is supposed to meet No. 7 seed Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Ruud, who eliminated No. 12 Taylor Fritz in four sets Monday, lost to Djokovic in the French Open final last year and to Rafael Nadal in the 2022 title match.

"I don't know until [Tuesday] if I can step out and play," Djokovic said of the quarterfinals. "I hope so. ... Let's see what happens."

This was the second consecutive five-set comeback victory that lasted about 4½ hours for Djokovic, who is ranked No. 1. In the third round, he also fell behind in sets 2-1 but made his way past No. 30 Lorenzo Musetti, 22, from Italy, finishing Sunday after 3 a.m. -- the latest finish in French Open history.

With Monday's victory, Djokovic broke a tie with Roger Federer for the most match wins at major tournaments -- and also for the most Slam quarterfinals for a man by reaching the 59th of his career.

The first signs of trouble for Djokovic came in the second set, when he began flexing his right leg. He took a medical timeout and laid down on a towel placed on the sideline, where a trainer massaged that knee then had Djokovic flip onto his belly to work on his hamstring.

Djokovic winced as his right leg was manipulated, a scene repeated at subsequent changeovers.

The No. 1-ranked Djokovic ultimately triumphed in ways that have become familiar through his years of dominance and 24 major trophies, both turning around a contest after trailing and emerging when the tension is greatest.

He is now 40-11 in fifth sets over his career.

"How did I find the way to win again? I don't know," Djokovic told the crowd at Court Philippe Chatrier. "The only explanation I have is you. Thank you."

Against Cerundolo, 25, from Argentina, who was trying to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, Djokovic, 37, again used all of his skills, experience and ability to adjust on the fly. He came through, in part, by playing more aggressively and putting extra speed on his groundstrokes, while dealing with whatever was going on with his knee.

Djokovic trailed 4-2 in the fourth set but surged from there.

At 4-3 in the fourth, he smacked a winner to earn a break point -- evoking roars from the stands -- and converted when Cerundolo netted a shot.

Djokovic shook his racket overhead, and a chant of his two-syllable nickname rang out, "No-le! No-le!"

At 2-1 in the fifth set, Djokovic's feet gave way as he chased a ball to his right, and he rolled on the ground, caking his white shorts, his red shirt and parts of his arms and legs with the rust-colored clay. As he walked to the sideline to grab a bottle of water to help clean off, he gave a piece of his mind to anyone who would listen, renewing an earlier complaint about wanting the court to be swept to improve traction.

That request was rejected as the sweeping schedule is pre-agreed to.

"Well done, supervisor and everybody," Djokovic said, his voice drenched in sarcasm. "Not slippery at all."

Yet he was just fine at 3-all in that set, when he stretched and slid, doing the splits, while somehow getting his racket on the ball for a drop volley to win a point. His chest on the ground, Djokovic stuck out both arms, mimicking an airplane, and smiled.

After the match, Djokovic said he believed there was "little to no clay" on the court and that the knee injury happened because he slipped "too many times."

During play, Djokovic stumbled occasionally. And limped a bit. After some lengthier points, he leaned on his racket or bent at the waist and rested with his hands on his knees or crouched.

He said he received a "maximum dose" of meds from his trainer to deal with the knee discomfort and it helped him once it kicked in near the end of the fourth set.

"[That's] when things started to really improve for me," Djokovic said. "I started to feel less limitations in my movement. Basically the whole fifth set was almost without any pain, which is great, you know."

When he missed a backhand that allowed Cerundolo to convert a break point for the first time in 13 tries, Djokovic handed over the second set. Soon, Djokovic was staring at a hole of two sets to one. And not long after that, he was down 4-2 in the fourth.

Ruud, the two-time French Open runner-up, ousted Fritz 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. The other men's matchup scheduled for Wednesday will be No. 11 Alex de Minaur against No. 4 Alexander Zverev, who was a 4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-2 winner against No. 13 Holger Rune in a match that ended at 1:40 a.m. on Tuesday.

On Monday, de Minaur defeated No. 5 Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 to become the first Australian man in the French Open quarterfinals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.

ESPN's Tom Hamilton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

TOMAS MACHAC UPSETS NOVAK DJOKOVIC IN GENEVA OPEN SEMIFINALS

Photo: Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP

 GENEVA -- Novak Djokovic will defend his French Open title in Paris still without a trophy this season after losing in the Geneva Open semifinals Friday.

The 44th-ranked Tomas Machac beat Djokovic 6-4, 0-6, 6-1 in the last clay-court event to prepare for Roland Garros, where main draw play starts Sunday.

"Of course I am worried. I haven't been playing good at all this year," Djokovic said.

His record in 2024 dropped to 14-6 overall and 0-3 in semifinals, including at the Australian Open against Jannik Sinner.

"I don't consider myself a favorite there," the top-ranked Serb said of his chances at Roland Garros, where he has won two of the past three titles and three overall among his men's record 24 Grand Slam singles titles. "I'm going to take it match by match and see how far I can go."

Machac took his first match-point chance, which came on Djokovic's serve, and clinched when Djokovic pushed a backhand long.

It was the fifth time Djokovic had his service broken, and he also made 27 unforced errors.

"If you play against Novak, you just hope and try to play your best and see how it looks," Machac said in an on-court interview.

Djokovic warmly greeted the Czech player at the net and smiled as he walked off court, applauding the fans.

Djokovic took a medical timeout after the first set for a stomach issue.

"It was a terrible feeling with stomach and health today. It was not a great night and today as well," he said. "I don't want to take anything away from his win. He deserved it."

Machac will play his first tour final Saturday against two-time Geneva champion Casper Ruud, the French Open runner-up for the past two years, or the unseeded Flavio Cobolli. Their semifinal did not start on time because of a lengthy rain delay.

- Associated Press 

CASPER RUUD STINS DJOKOVIC

 

ENTERTAINING: TOMMY PAUL VS. CASPER RUUD

DE MINAUR SINKS RUUD TO RETAIN MEXICAN OPEN CROWN

Reuters 

 Third seed Alex de Minaur successfully defended his Mexican Open crown on Saturday, romping to a 6-4 6-4 victory over Casper Ruud in the Acapulco title clash.

The result helped the 25-year-old Australian snap a four-match losing run in finals and bag his eighth ATP Tour title - his seventh on hard courts - to secure his place in the top 10 of the world rankings that will be updated on Monday.

"It's been an amazing week," said De Minaur, who finished runner-up to Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner in Rotterdam last month.

"It's probably a week I didn't really expect. I came into Mexico not feeling my best and just kept telling myself to keep giving myself chances. I think today I played my best match of the tournament by far.

RUUD BATTLES PAST RUNE TO BOOK ACAPULCO FINAL WITH DE MINAUR

Reuters 

 Casper Ruud overcame a stern test from ailing second seed Holger Rune on Friday to secure a 3-6 6-3 6-4 win and reach the Mexican Open final where he will face defending champion Alex de Minaur.

De Minaur earlier returned to the title clash when Briton Jack Draper retired from their semi-final meeting because of an undisclosed issue while trailing 6-3 2-6 4-0.

It will be Ruud's second final in the country in as many weeks, but he will hope for a better result on Saturday after losing in Los Cabos to another Australian, Jordan Thompson.

The Norwegian was pushed to the limit by world number seven Rune in physically demanding conditions in Acapulco.

"I'm like a cockroach, not going anywhere, just creeping back in," Ruud joked when asked about his about his ability to respond after seemingly getting knocked down.

Rune came out firing and took the opening set. He was a point away from a break in the third game of the next set after finishing a long rally with a forehand winner at the net, but the Dane suddenly began to lose momentum.

SWIATEK, ZVEREV SURVIVES SCARE AS ALCARAZ MASTERS MELBOURNE WIND

Reuters 

 Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev both had to fight their way back from the brink of defeat to reach the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday, a day of close shaves and tight matches at Melbourne Park.

Carlos Alcaraz had a less fraught outing on Rod Laver Arena but the 20-year-old was certainly tested as he matched his best previous performance at the year's opening Grand Slam by getting past the second round.

Women's top seed Swiatek had earlier shown all the fight of a four-times Grand Slam champion as she rallied from two breaks down in the final set to beat Danielle Collins 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Swiatek knew she was in for a potentially tricky contest in the opening match on Rod Laver Arena as Collins had beaten her in the Melbourne Park semi-finals in 2022.

The 30-year-old American, who said after the match that she would be retiring this season, came out firing after losing the opening set and Swiatek needed her best tennis to overhaul a 4-1 deficit by rattling off the last five games in the third set.

CARLOS ALCARAZ VS. CASPER RUUD | INSANE SHOTMAKING | BEIJING 2023