Is it preferable to achieve victory in a Grand Slam tournament or to attain the top ranking in the ATP? The father of Casper Ruud, the Norwegian tennis player, discussed this topic. It is currently a challenging period for Ruud, who has reached the final of a major tournament on three separate occasions but has recently fallen out of the top ten due to a string of disappointing performances and physical ailments.
With a series of clay court tournaments on the horizon, which are in close proximity to one another, Casper is faced with the task of rebounding and disproving any doubts about his future.
Christian Ruud, who serves as both the father and coach of the Nordic tennis player, recently spoke to Tennis Majors and shared some intriguing insights. He provided an answer to the question posed at the beginning of this article: is it more desirable to win a Grand Slam or to become the number one ranked player?
“I was successful in popularizing a sport like tennis to some extent in Norway, but Casper has surpassed me by far and has garnered even more attention. I believe that this sport is now gaining significant popularity, and Norway is no longer solely associated with winter sports, but also with other endeavors such as tennis,” he stated.
Ruud is making a name for himself in the world of sports, and his father, who was once ranked number 39 in the world, has highlighted his growth and abilities.
“When he was young, he possessed a strong determination. We traveled outside of Norway to meet new people and gain inspiration, to observe how others approached tennis. He was resolute in his desire to surpass my achievements.
Casper set specific goals for himself, such as reaching the top 50 by the age of 26, but things progressed much more rapidly than anticipated. What are his future aspirations? In 2023, he aims to secure a tournament victory, reach the final of a Grand Slam, and consistently remain within the top ten rankings. However, there has been talk of a challenging season,” he revealed.
For Casper, winning a Grand Slam holds greater importance than claiming the top spot in the world rankings, and in 2022, he came within one match of achieving both. The ultimate objective, of course, is to emerge victorious in a major tournament. As we all know, every tennis player desires to maintain a position within the top ten, but winning a title would truly be an extraordinary accomplishment,” he expressed.
Norway is a country that is undeniably progressing, even in the realm of soccer. One need only consider the likes of Premier League stars such as Odegaard and particularly Erling Haaland, the center forward for Manchester City, who are regarded as some of the finest athletes in the world.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org