Madrid, Spain – 2025: Norway’s Casper Ruud
secured the biggest title of his career on Sunday, defeating Britain’s Jack
Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Mutua Madrid Open – his first ATP Masters 1000
crown.
In a gripping final inside the Caja Magica, Ruud
displayed nerves of steel to edge out the in-form Draper in a match lasting two
hours and 29 minutes. The 26-year-old had previously fallen short in two
Masters 1000 finals without winning a set, but broke new ground with a
performance marked by resilience and tactical discipline.
“It feels great, of course. It’s been a long time
coming,” Ruud said after the match. “This was one of the big goals I dreamed
about when I was young. It’s an incredible feeling to finally accomplish it.”
Draper, who had enjoyed a breakout tournament in the
Spanish capital, pushed Ruud to the limit with his trademark heavy-hitting from
the left side. Despite dropping the first set after leading 5-3, Draper bounced
back strongly in the second. However, Ruud found another gear in the final set,
breaking serve at 2-2 and maintaining composure to close out the match.
With the victory, Ruud became the first Norwegian in
history to win a Masters 1000 title. The triumph also marked his 13th career
title on the ATP Tour and lifted him back into the Top 10. He is projected to
rise eight places to No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings, and he jumps to fifth in
the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin.
Along the way in Madrid, Ruud defeated three Top 10
players — No. 4 Taylor Fritz, No. 10 Daniil Medvedev, and No. 6 Draper — making
it only the second time in his career he has achieved that feat in a single
tournament.
Ruud also paid tribute to his support system. “I owe a
lot of my success to my family, my friends, and my fiancée, Maria,” he said.
“She came yesterday to support me, and maybe that was the final push I needed.
I’m really lucky to have such amazing people around me.”
Despite the defeat, 23-year-old Draper has much to be
proud of. He will rise to a career-high No. 5 in the PIF ATP Rankings and
remains in strong contention for a maiden berth at the Nitto ATP Finals.
“Congratulations Casper, you were braver than me in
the key moments,” Draper said during the trophy ceremony. “This loss hurts, but
I’ll keep trying. This sport is brutal, but I believe it’ll make me better.”
The match was a rollercoaster. Draper took the early
advantage with a break in the third game, but faltered at 5-3, allowing Ruud to
rally and steal the opening set. The Briton responded with aggressive
shotmaking to dominate the second, but in the decider, Ruud’s consistency from
the baseline and clinical serving saw him through.
With his Madrid triumph, Ruud has reasserted himself
among the game’s elite — and with the clay season in full swing, he will be a
force to reckon with in the lead-up to Roland Garros.
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