Casper Ruud turned the tables on Stefanos Tsitsipas, avenging his recent defeat by defeating the Greek fifth seed 7-5, 6-3 to clinch the Barcelona Open title on Sunday.
Just a week after Tsitsipas defeated Ruud in straight sets to claim victory at the Monte Carlo Masters, it was the Norwegian third seed who emerged victorious in their latest encounter, securing his 10th ATP title on clay.
Expressing his satisfaction, Ruud remarked, “Honestly, this victory was worth the wait.” Despite his previous successes being limited to ATP 250 tournaments, Ruud was thrilled to secure a title at a higher level after seven unsuccessful attempts in finals.
Reflecting on his win, Ruud admitted, “Many of the finals I’ve lost have been challenging and somewhat disappointing. While reaching a final is always commendable, this victory feels particularly special and long overdue.”
Ruud’s triumph also ended Tsitsipas’ impressive 10-match winning streak.
Although Tsitsipas gained an early break, Ruud quickly found his rhythm and frustrated his opponent with his strategic baseline play.
Maintaining control throughout the second set, Ruud did not face a single break point, showcasing his dominance on the court.
Commenting on his performance, Ruud noted, “In the Monte Carlo final, I was always playing catch-up and allowing Tsitsipas too much control. Today, despite a tricky start where I was broken early, I managed to settle in and turn the match in my favor by breaking him back.”