ruuds rude topspin

FailBetter

Semi-Pro
have never seen anyone reaching 60rps in average over a whole match

IMG-7843.jpg
 

jarko111

Hall of Fame
His backhand is not that bad. Lol. But he comes from the Nadal school of forehands. And he’s at that point in his career where he can beat Thiem one day and lose to Giles Simon the next. Once he settles into the game he can play at his best.. he is going to have lots of clay titles
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
Yeah he needs to avoid becoming next Sock
The BH and serve need to get a lot better

His forehand is more similar to Nadal's. Sock and Kyrgios have a much more wristy and abbreviated FH. Ruud has as massive loading with the legs and upper body compared to those two, generating a much, much heavier ball, esp. on clay. Having seen his 100% FH up close, which he seldom goes to, I can tell you it's a thing of beauty, very different to the run-of-the-mill ATP FHs. He dished out some of those against Novak in Rome, one reaching 177 kmh (that's with high net clearance and massive ts). No wonder Novak struggled with it. He just needs to get a backhand more like Schwartzman imo, who can create sharp angles on incoming balls, and really accelerate on medium pace.
 

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
His forehand is more similar to Nadal's. Sock and Kyrgios have a much more wristy and abbreviated FH. Ruud has as massive loading with the legs and upper body compared to those two, generating a much, much heavier ball, esp. on clay. Having seen his 100% FH up close, which he seldom goes to, I can tell you it's a thing of beauty, very different to the run-of-the-mill ATP FHs. He dished out some of those against Novak in Rome, one reaching 177 kmh (that's with high net clearance and massive ts). No wonder Novak struggled with it. He just needs to get a backhand more like Schwartzman imo, who can create sharp angles on incoming balls, and really accelerate on medium pace.
Good analysis. Was very impressed with Ruud when I saw him at Houston last year...
 

Ray Mercer

Hall of Fame
Why is this guy a bum on hard courts? I can’t stand these spinny one dimensional clay players. You got to park yourself on the baseline and take the ball on the rise. Take a page out of the Federer and Djokovic playbook.
 

Ray Mercer

Hall of Fame
Sorry but the clay court players are a lot more dimensional than players that grow up on hardcourts (aka typical Americans) who only know how to hit a serve and forehand.

His results so far are heavily skewed to clay courts which makes up the minority of the ATP circuit. He plays exclusively from the back of the court and deep behind the baseline. He doesn’t have that Federer like all court game. Federer straight setted him last year at 38 years old at the French.
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
Sorry but the clay court players are a lot more dimensional than players that grow up on hardcourts (aka typical Americans) who only know how to hit a serve and forehand.

I play a lot on clay during summer and I find hard court much, much easier to play to my best level. Clay, esp when it's a bit "slippery", requires so much more of your footwork, both in form of energy and technique. On hard court I can "ground" myself with ease, not so much on clay. I know this explanation is not that good, but you can see what I mean if you look at US hardcourt'ers on clay, f.inst. Fritz, Paul, Sandgren where the difference in level is staggering imo. Fritz in particular looks at time like Bambi on ice.
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
His results so far are heavily skewed to clay courts which makes up the minority of the ATP circuit. He plays exclusively from the back of the court and deep behind the baseline. He doesn’t have that Federer like all court game. Federer straight setted him last year at 38 years old at the French.

His first time meeting him, on the biggest arena for clay. Iirc, he had set points in the third set. Not too bad.
And since then he's become much, much better. I'm not sure Fed would've won this year if they met at RG.
That being said, his game is geared towards clay, just as many other players gear it towards hardcourt or grass. Just the way it is.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
He hits the spinniest ball on tour now according to the stats

His forehand is great in general: heavy, powerful, but also reliable.

The backhand is more of a loopy clay shot, though, and not quite steady enough at that.
Oh I think he's growing into the backhand and its going to be rougher than Nadal's current backhand. Ruud makes a speed jump in the next few years and lookout.o_O
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
His forehand is more similar to Nadal's. Sock and Kyrgios have a much more wristy and abbreviated FH. Ruud has as massive loading with the legs and upper body compared to those two, generating a much, much heavier ball, esp. on clay. Having seen his 100% FH up close, which he seldom goes to, I can tell you it's a thing of beauty, very different to the run-of-the-mill ATP FHs. He dished out some of those against Novak in Rome, one reaching 177 kmh (that's with high net clearance and massive ts). No wonder Novak struggled with it. He just needs to get a backhand more like Schwartzman imo, who can create sharp angles on incoming balls, and really accelerate on medium pace.
And Ruud's forehand amazing before Rafa Academy, but more rpms on both sides now, no? The field is lucky that Ruud hasn't gotten hot on his serve and forehand so far this season.

Ruud's core is really strong, strongerer than Tim and Rafa. Stamina seems to be coming on early as well.o_O
 

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
lol Ruud has probably the best true clay courter serve in the game. Brutal one, two punch with his forehand. Ruud 75% points won on first serve with 67% in for 2020. Nadall is 70% won typically. Ruud has the GOAT first serve game on clay.;)
How quickly can he compete for titles ?
 
His results so far are heavily skewed to clay courts which makes up the minority of the ATP circuit. He plays exclusively from the back of the court and deep behind the baseline. He doesn’t have that Federer like all court game. Federer straight setted him last year at 38 years old at the French.

Promising youngster not being as talented as Federer is hardly a shock, and hardly means he's not a promising youngster. Also, Federer wasn't 38 years old at last year's French Open.
 

yokied

Hall of Fame
quit being a sycophant:sneaky:

I’m allowed to toy with the VB, who have all been vewy vewy quiet lately.

Of all the delicious nexgen trolling possibilities, surely The Nadal being replaced at RG by a product of his academy is tastiest?

Although I do kinda like the idea of Zod becoming the new clay king as well, for the sheer strangeness of it, especially the Ferrer dimension Vs The Nadal. Just as strange as Tim becoming a HC king.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
I’m allowed to toy with the VB, who have all been vewy vewy quiet lately.

Of all the delicious nexgen trolling possibilities, surely The Nadal being replaced at RG by a product of his academy is tastiest?

Although I do kinda like the idea of Zod becoming the new clay king as well, for the sheer strangeness of it, especially the Ferrer dimension Vs The Nadal. Just as strange as Tim becoming a HC king.
We think alike except Tim might be better choice than Casper for denadalization.
 

jarko111

Hall of Fame
It’s kind of cool to see sports figures from Norway that will actually compete in a summer Olympics.
 

jarko111

Hall of Fame
It’d be nice if he was just a couple inches taller. Then, maybe clay wouldn’t be where so much of his wins came from. Even if he was just at Nadal's height. That’d put him in that perfect zone of tall but not too tall you lose speed.
Without being able to serve as much down into the court, clay is a great surface for him. Equalizes his chances.
 

SonnyT

Legend
Ruud's biggest drawback is his size. He's shorter than Nadal and Djokovic, whereas all the promising next geners are taller, with the exception of Shapo.
 

Dolgopolov85

G.O.A.T.
Ruud's biggest drawback is his size. He's shorter than Nadal and Djokovic, whereas all the promising next geners are taller, with the exception of Shapo.
I am not convinced of this line of thought (another poster above also mentioned it). Who pushed both Nadal and Djokovic harder than the next gen giraffes did? Thiem. Ruud is just over 6 which is a good height for tennis. He is not losing because of his height. For the serve, he can and should improve his technique (remember how Nadal used to serve in the beginning). The rest will come with more big match experience. The ability to improvise forehand winners falling back in big points is very impressive; I don't think you would see much of that from players like Zverev or FAA. They play in a very 'coached' way. Ruud's game has more flow. And lots of power too on the forehand side.
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
I am not convinced of this line of thought (another poster above also mentioned it). Who pushed both Nadal and Djokovic harder than the next gen giraffes did? Thiem. Ruud is just over 6 which is a good height for tennis. He is not losing because of his height. For the serve, he can and should improve his technique (remember how Nadal used to serve in the beginning). The rest will come with more big match experience. The ability to improvise forehand winners falling back in big points is very impressive; I don't think you would see much of that from players like Zverev or FAA. They play in a very 'coached' way. Ruud's game has more flow. And lots of power too on the forehand side.

Agreed on the "flow" versus mechanical "coached" play. It's why I enjoy watching Wolf too.
 

tennis24x7

Professional
Why is this guy a bum on hard courts? I can’t stand these spinny one dimensional clay players. You got to park yourself on the baseline and take the ball on the rise. Take a page out of the Federer and Djokovic playbook.
Give him time, he will mature and get that. Even Rafa was very bad see his progression into multi-surface legend.
 

Jaitock1991

Hall of Fame
His forehand is more similar to Nadal's. Sock and Kyrgios have a much more wristy and abbreviated FH. Ruud has as massive loading with the legs and upper body compared to those two, generating a much, much heavier ball, esp. on clay. Having seen his 100% FH up close, which he seldom goes to, I can tell you it's a thing of beauty, very different to the run-of-the-mill ATP FHs. He dished out some of those against Novak in Rome, one reaching 177 kmh (that's with high net clearance and massive ts). No wonder Novak struggled with it. He just needs to get a backhand more like Schwartzman imo, who can create sharp angles on incoming balls, and really accelerate on medium pace.

Totally agree. He literally dominated Novak when he was allowed to hit that forehand twice or more in a row, which doesn't happen often for Djoker. The big problem is that Novak is incredibly good at manipulating the patterns of play, and once he spots your weaknesses he will just pound on them from all different angles until they break down(in Rudy's case the obvious one is the backhand from certain positions), and because Novak himself pretty much has no weaknesses it's really tough to escape that once it happens. Was quite impressed by Rudy during that match though, and he probably got some very good indications on what he needs to work on to become even better. I believe that he's got the right mentality to do it as well.

Hyller navnet ditt forresten :cool:
 
Last edited:

jarko111

Hall of Fame
I know that the Ezone 98 players are flashy and have tremendous power.
Casper really shows off what the Ezone 100 can do. What it's capable of.
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
Totally agree. He literally dominated Novak when he was allowed to hit that forehand twice or more in a row, which doesn't happen often for Djoker. The big problem is that Novak is incredibly good at manipulating the patterns of play, and once he spots your weaknesses he will just pound on them from all different angles until they break down(in Rudy's case the obvious one is the backhand from certain positions), and because Novak himself pretty much has no weaknesses it's really tough to escape that once it happens. Was quite impressed by Rudy during that match though, and he probably got some very good indications on what he needs to work on to become even better. I believe that he's got the right mentality to do it as well.

Hyller navnet ditt forresten :cool:

Good analysis on Novak. I felt that in both that match and f.inst. against Humbert yesterday, it’d on his racket, as he lets them back in by making bad choices - at times. The great part though, is that he totally dictates at times, from way back, and is getting more and more patient, has more margins and is more clinical when he closes points. He’s def growing into the Rafa battering ram strategy, which is easy in theory, not so much in practice (which is why, imo, Verdasco has never reached the utmost top).
 

fundrazer

G.O.A.T.
He's looking better on hard court now. SHould do ok at the US OPen.
Think @stringertom has pointed out that he's still struggling with big servers due to his return positioning. I'd echo this as well, was seeing challenger level players serve and volley and even underhand serve him effectively in one of the clay events. He will need to make that adjustment if he wants to make 2nd week of US Open. Although he's doing a great job building up that ranking which should make playing up to his seeding a bit easier in New York. We will see. I do like parts of his game, but I think other aspects still need polishing.
 
Top