TOMMY PAUL. VS. FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO | EASTBOURNE 2023

 

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

GRIGOR DIMITROV VS. FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO | DRAMATIC MATCH | MIAMI 2025

 

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

ATP ROUNDUP: TOP-SEEDED FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO FALLS IN CORDOBA

Reuters 

 Spain's Jaume Munar disappointed the fans at the Cordoba (Argentina) Open on Wednesday, upsetting top-seeded Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-4 in second-round action.

Munar repeatedly got into and out of trouble, saving 10 of 12 break points while beating Cerundolo for the first time in three career matchups.

In the quarterfinals, Munar will oppose Argentina's Facundo Bagnis, who beat eighth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 7-6 (5), 6-4.

The day's other two second-round matches also saw Argentinians defeat Spaniards. Third-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry got past Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-5, 6-4, and Federico Coria routed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-3.

ATP ROUNDUP: CHRISTOPHER EUBANKS REACHES MALLORCA FINAL

Reuters 

Christopher Eubanks racked up 49 winners and saved five match points while posting a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9) victory over South African Lloyd Harris in Friday's semifinals of the Mallorca Championships in Spain.

The victory puts the 27-year-old Eubanks into his first career final on Saturday, when he will meet fourth-seeded Adrian Mannarino of France. Eubanks had 14 aces in the semi, while Harris had 12.

CERUNDOLO TAKES ON ZHANG & MORE | QUARTER-FINALS | EASTBOURNE 2023

 

HOLGER RUNE VS. FRANCISCO CERUNDOLO | HIGHLIGHTS | ROLAND GARROS 2023