Showing posts with label Sebastian Korda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sebastian Korda. Show all posts
Monday, 23 March 2026
Monday, 23 February 2026
Tuesday, 6 May 2025
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.
Thursday, 17 April 2025
Saturday, 23 December 2023
TOP 10S: RANKING THE BEST MEN'S AND WOMEN'S PLAYERS HEADING INTO 2024
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| Coco Gauff, ranked No. 3 in the world, won her first Grand Slam title in September. Getty Images |
It was an odd year for American tennis.
There were, as always, random thrills and breakthroughs. On the men's side, for instance, Tommy Paul reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, and Christopher Eubanks enjoyed a late-career breakthrough at Wimbledon. But the year as a whole often felt like one of stagnation.
Taylor Fritz basically ended the year where he started from a rankings standpoint and couldn't turn a top-10 ranking into sustained threats in Grand Slams. Frances Tiafoe dipped his toe into the ATP top 10 but suffered a major funk at the end of the year. Sebastian Korda seemed primed for a breakthrough but missed months with an injury. Reilly Opelka was still working back from injury. Jenson Brooksby was suspended for 18 months for missed drug tests. John Isner faded, then retired.
On the women's side, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff both remained steady threats, but for much of the year, they, too, seemed to be running in place a bit. Veterans like Madison Keys, Danielle Collins and Sloane Stephens battled consistency issues. Jennifer Brady was still working back from injury.
The US Open changed quite a bit. Gauff kicked into top-three mode over the summer and rode it to her first Slam title, while Keys came within a heartbreaking third-set tiebreak loss of the finals. Meanwhile, Fritz, Tiafoe and up-and-comer Ben Shelton broke into the quarterfinals, with the 21-year-old Shelton swaggering his way into the semis.
With lots of stars making gains and a couple breaking through in a major way, suddenly 2023 went from a year of stagnation to tantalizing development and depth. What will 2024 have in store? Do players such as Pegula, Fritz and Tiafoe still have another level to add to their respective games? Can Gauff maintain her otherworldly summer and fall form? Does Shelton's trajectory continue? Acknowledging that there are also surprises -- and that tennis' brief offseason is the perfect time for "Here's where [player] overcomes injuries and surges again" optimism -- here are our predictions for the top 10 American men and women, ranked by their 2024 prospects.
Jessica Pegula has reached the quarterfinals of five of her last eight Grand Slams. Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
Saturday, 14 October 2023
Sunday, 8 January 2023
Thursday, 14 April 2022
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