Casper Ruud now has 10 titles in his career. All are ATP250 titles with not one win over a top 10 player. Majoring in minors?

[boredone3456]

Well he's 24 and last year was only his 5th year on the tour. Despite that he made 2 major finals last year. I think thats pretty impressive. I think the days are gone where we can expect tons of players to have won masters by this age.

 

[junior74]

Honestly I didn’t see him making the quarters. Wasn’t he drawn in the same section as Fritz? But unfortunately both lost early, but if they were to play against each other I think Fritz would’ve beaten Ruud, seeing the form Fritz has been on this year

I can't recall the draw in detail, but I remember it wasn't terrifying and he was in very good HC form.

Fritz is a very good player, but Ruud is stronger mentally. I really hope Fritz can get tougher when it matters.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

I'll never understand why players are criticised for doing what they can.
Isn't that the case of every player (except the ones who clearly don't do enough, like a Paire or a Kyrgios)?
Go ahead and criticise Federer for not winning more Slams or French Opens. Sheesh.

It almost seems like the object of this game is to "beat X number of top 10 players in tournament Y".
Reminder that there are no trophies for any of these niche statistics fans obsess over when trying to compare the big three (and then extrapolate to other players and other careers).

 

[NoleFam]

So what? He beat 3 top 10 players last fall at the ATP Finals to make the final but does those wins not count? You're talking about he has no wins over Thiem and Wawrinka when he's only played them once and like he couldn't beat them considering the form both are in as of late.

 

[mike danny]

At least he did beat a top ten player en route to the Masters final and three top ten players en route to the WTF final (although none of the players he beat at the WTF were top five players. Making the final of an event that is supposed to feature only the top eight players without beating any of the top five players is a rather Ruud-esque accomplishment!

Dimitrov's run was worse though. Literal cake with frosting on it.

 

[RF-18]

Ruud is an excellent tennis player. Only a sofa expert would try to find ways to criticize and ridicule a player with that much success. And yes, 10 titles, 2 slam finals, YECs final, career high of #2 is massive success. He has a really solid game with a great FH, and a great mover. You won't find more professional players than him. He is only 24 btw. Lots of years ahead of him.

People here have this ridiculous unrealistic standards where everything is judged by if you have 10 slams or not.

 

[mike danny]

Ruud is an excellent tennis player. Only a sofa expert would try to find ways to criticize and ridicule a player with that much success. And yes, 10 titles, 2 slam finals, YECs final, career high of #2 is massive success. He has a really solid game with a great FH, and a great mover. You won't find more professional players than him. He is only 24 btw. Lots of years ahead of him.

People here have this ridiculous unrealistic standards where everything is judged by if you have 10 slams or not.

Except people don't even compare him with players who have 10 slams.

 

[RF-18]

Except people don't even compare him with players who have 10 slams.

That's not even what I meant.

 

[Pheasant]

Casper Ruud is actually taking the right approach. He's currently #22 in career prize money among active players and he's only 24 years old. He should keep his scheduling the way it is. Use the 250 tourneys to tune up for the biggest events. That's fine.

13.5 million in career prize money well before his 25th birthday=sign me up.

I like Ruud. He's a class act and I wish him well. He might not ever win a major. But that's fine. I'm still a fan; always have been. He's a tough fighter out there. Now granted, against the big guys, he's a middleweight fighting heavyweights. But I enjoy his grit and class anyway.

 

[BeatlesFan]

At least Ferrer defeated the big 3 multiple times.

He defeated two of the big three.

Federer-Ferrer: 17-0

 

[mike danny]

That's not even what I meant.

Ruud is a good player, but he's just a worse Ferrer. Nothing more.

 

[big ted]

people complain that ruud isnt very good and then they complain that he only wins 250s ... hahah

 

[EdMcMush]

I like Ruud. His game is fairly meh to watch but he seems like a true gentleman with true class that does not seem phony or fake . So i root for him. Same way I always rooted for Kevin Anderson

 

[Lozo1016]

Ruud has the same number of 250 titles (10) as his idol Nadal!

 

[Mainad]

I confess It's a mystery to me how he stays in top #4 or #5. Medvedev just won a Masters 1000, his 4th title this year but has to swap rankings again with Ruud just because Ruud won yet another 250, his 1st title this year. Crazy!!!

 

[big ted]

I confess It's a mystery to me how he stays in top #4 or #5. Medvedev just won a Masters 1000, his 4th title this year but has to swap rankings again with Ruud just because Ruud won yet another 250, his 1st title this year. Crazy!!!

i assume he'll drop after his 2 GS finals do... unless he makes them again

 

[helterskelter]

Ruud is a good player, but he's just a worse Ferrer. Nothing more.

You must have bought into the hype of the Career Inflation Era. Ruud is much less than a worse Ferrer.

 

[Sputnik Bulgorov]

Ruud is a solid player and he’s been maximizing his results with the skill set he has. Him making it to no. 2, and currently no. 4, says more about his competition than about himself.

In the Norrie era, anything is possible. Even 250 titles can bring you within a hair of no. 1.

 

[big ted]

im going to go out on a limb and say hes better than ferrer

 

[dking68]

I confess It's a mystery to me how he stays in top #4 or #5. Medvedev just won a Masters 1000, his 4th title this year but has to swap rankings again with Ruud just because Ruud won yet another 250, his 1st title this year. Crazy!!!

Don’t worry he’ll soon be out. All of us are waiting. He will be dumped out of the French before Qf

 

[estigma2001]

wow so easy, gonna do it tomorrow
Vamos!

 

[ND-13]

People give grief for Federer for facing Phillipousis and Baghdatis

Ruud is zillion times worse in terms of level than those two .

 

[Kralingen]

People give grief for Federer for facing Phillipousis and Baghdatis

Ruud is zillion times worse in terms of level than those two .

He does have consistency though which they mostly did not.

 

[ND-13]

He does have consistency though which they mostly did not.

Agree, but it depends if one wants to watch players like Kyrgios who can win any big match or Ruud who can win no big match

 

[Aussie Darcy]

I think the Ruud bashing is getting boring. Compared to Berrettini, Shapovalov, Hurkacz etc, he is a more professional athlete than those guys, works harder, moves better, improves more and plays with a lot more consistency in his game.

I am not a huge fan of his tennis, but I think pointing at Ruud when the tour is weak is not a fair verdict.

If Ferrer would have been #1 in the world on today's tour, so be it. It doesn't make Ruud any worse, it tells more about the tour.

I'm not bashing Ruud. I'm posting facts of his career. 10 titles, all 250, no top 10 players beaten in any title run. 2 slam finals, one where he won just 6 games in 3 sets. No win over the big 3 or Medvedev or Alcaraz or Thiem.

I didn't see he didn't work hard or move badly. Just posting the facts.

No top 10 wins in his title runs, no top 10 wins at slams.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

And people knock Djokovic for "inflation era". LOL. Ruud is king of inflation with these mickey mouses

 

[junior74]

I'm not bashing Ruud. I'm posting facts of his career. 10 titles, all 250, no top 10 players beaten in any title run. 2 slam finals, one where he won just 6 games in 3 sets. No win over the big 3 or Medvedev or Alcaraz or Thiem.

I didn't see he didn't work hard or move badly. Just posting the facts.

No top 10 wins in his title runs, no top 10 wins at slams.

Ruud has won more titles than Alcaraz, Tsitsipas, FAA, Sinner, Berrettini, Hurkacz, Khachanov, Tiafoe and Fritz. That's a fact, too.

It's also a fact that he had SP to go up 2-1 against Alcaraz in that other slam final.

Djokovic won 7 games in 3 sets against Nadal on Philipe Chatrier 2020. Fact.

I'm not saying he shouldn't do better. I'm saying he is doing well "with the few weapons he has" and I think TT is mocking Ruud both for not winning big tournaments AND for winning small ones, which is just weird, as I see it

 

[Wander]

Not everything is about you.

As an example, Medvedev has a major, numerous titles and top 10 wins. He’s heavily criticized.

Zverev.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point

Everyone is different. Ruud is special just for being easier to mock than any (former) ATP #2 in over 20 years.

 

[Ray Mercer]

He comes across as pretty humble and hard working. I think the dislike comes from his boring play style and the fact that he is a punching bag against the top guys. Players who play consistent but have no chance of winning against the top guys will never get the same love as inconsistent guys who have the ability and weapons to beat anyone.

 

[junior74]

He comes across as pretty humble and hard working. I think the dislike comes from his boring play style and the fact that he is a punching bag against the top guys. Players who play consistent but have no chance of winning against the top guys will never get the same love as inconsistent guys who have the ability and weapons to beat anyone.

Precisely. Ruud has chosen consistency. He was hyped at the start, because he had a booming forehand. His team understood quickly that he needed to play more high percentage tennis to break into the top 10. His game changed in 21/22. Consistency is enough to beat everyone but the very best, players like Ferrer and Simon are good examples.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Ruud has won more titles than Alcaraz, Tsitsipas, FAA, Sinner, Berrettini, Hurkacz, Khachanov, Tiafoe and Fritz. That's a fact, too.

It's also a fact that he had SP to go up 2-1 against Alcaraz in that other slam final.

Djokovic won 7 games in 3 sets against Nadal on Philipe Chatrier 2020. Fact.

I'm not saying he shouldn't do better. I'm saying he is doing well "with the few weapons he has" and I think TT is mocking Ruud both for not winning big tournaments AND for winning small ones, which is just weird, as I see it

All those players you listed bar Tiafoe have at least won a 500 title. Something Ruud still hasn't.

I'm not saying Ruud isn't doing well by the way and i'm not mocking him. I just asked if he was majoring in minors which he clearly is. He can't win even a 500 tournament.

Good for Ruud for winning countless 250 titles without defeating a top 50 player but when it counts at bigger tournaments he's losing to #96 Garin in Indian Wells (2 weeks ago), or #124 Taro Daniel in Acapulco (2 months ago),

 

[junior74]

All those players you listed bar Tiafoe have at least won a 500 title. Something Ruud still hasn't.

I'm not saying Ruud isn't doing well by the way and i'm not mocking him. I just asked if he was majoring in minors which he clearly is. He can't win even a 500 tournament.

Good for Ruud for winning countless 250 titles without defeating a top 50 player but when it counts at bigger tournaments he's losing to #96 Garin in Indian Wells (2 weeks ago), or #124 Taro Daniel in Acapulco (2 months ago),

Ok, so it's better to beat a top guy than to win a tournament. I get it.

"He can't even win a 500" - but he has been in two slam finals. Which is clearly a bigger achievement.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Ok, so it's better to beat a top guy than to win a tournament. I get it.

"He can't even win a 500" - but he has been in two slam finals. Which is clearly a bigger achievement.

I never said that it wasn't a bigger achievement....

Yet again, I simply posted that the guy has never won anything above an ATP250. Not one. Fact? Not one win over a top 10 player in those 10 title runs as well. Fact?

And also just as a cute side note, for the two slam final runs? Not a single top 10 player beaten.

 

[junior74]

I never said that it wasn't a bigger achievement....

Yet again, I simply posted that the guy has never won anything above an ATP250. Not one. Fact? Not one win over a top 10 player in those 10 title runs as well. Fact?

And also just as a cute side note, for the two slam final runs? Not a single top 10 player beaten.

I'm sure it's a fact, I haven't checked. Number of titles is a more normal measurement of success in tennis than top 10 wins, which is more of a secondary stat.

 

[Clay lover]

I look at Ruud and I find his game to be very similar to Ferrer's and even Ferrero's. Heavy forehand, a decent set of wheels and a non-flashy but reliable backhand. Not as speedy and grindy as Ferrer but makes up for it by having comparable firepower to Ferrero. (Yes shoot me)

I think he'll win 1-2 slams and at least pick up one masters and one 500.

...time to run from the pitchforks

 

[junior74]

I look at Ruud and I find his game to be very similar to Ferrer's and even Ferrero's. Heavy forehand, a decent set of wheels and a non-flashy but reliable backhand. Not as speedy and grindy as Ferrer but makes up for it by having comparable firepower to Ferrero. (Yes shoot me)

I think he'll win 1-2 slams and at least pick up one masters and one 500.

...time to run from the pitchforks

WAY better and more versatile serve than Ferrer. Ferrer was a lot better up at the net.

 

[DSH]

And people knock Djokovic for "inflation era". LOL. Ruud is king of inflation with these mickey mouses

The Serbian wolf faced "this Joker" to equal Federer's 6 ATP Finals titles.
What does it tell you?

 

[junior74]

The Serbian wolf faced "this Joker" to equal Federer's 6 ATP Finals titles.
What does it tell you?

Ruud is the only player in this era who wouldn't have won 10+ slams in any other era

 

[Wesling]

I look at Ruud and I find his game to be very similar to Ferrer's and even Ferrero's. Heavy forehand, a decent set of wheels and a non-flashy but reliable backhand. Not as speedy and grindy as Ferrer but makes up for it by having comparable firepower to Ferrero. (Yes shoot me)

I think he'll win 1-2 slams and at least pick up one masters and one 500.

...time to run from the pitchforks

Caspers backhand is not reliable at all, its barely top 100 level. Ferrers was good, but Caspers forehand is way heavier. But ferrer was faster and with better shot tolerance

 

[timnz]

Casper Ruud. A former #2. Now back to #4. He's won 10 titles on tour.

ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Hard
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay

He holds the 10th most titles on tour now. Ahead of Tsitsipas on 9 along with Dimitrov and Alcaraz on 8.

In all 10 of his title victories, he didn't defeat a single top 10 player. He won 3 of the 250 titles back to back to back making it a 13 match winning streak. The highest player defeated in those 3 title runs was #49 in the world.

Players like Jack Sock have a Masters title. Basilashvili has won two ATP500 titles, Ugo Humbert won a 500 defeating two top 10 players. Karatsev won Dubai 500 with wins over Sinner and Rublev.

Can we say Ruud has majored in minors so far?

The ATP Itself doesn’t just give points for title winners only. It gives significant points for deep runs at important events. Ruud was a finalist , in 2022, at the French Open and the US open. That’s 2400 points alone. Plus being a finalist at the season end championship (the number 5 most important tournament). These are achievements in their own right

 

[Clay lover]

I think Casper's backhand improved quite a lot. It's now at least serviceable and not an attackable shot.

Caspers backhand is not reliable at all, its barely top 100 level. Ferrers was good, but Caspers forehand is way heavier. But ferrer was faster and with better shot tolerance

 

[Wesling]

I think Casper's backhand improved quite a lot. It's now at least serviceable and not an attackable shot.

Agree to disagree I guess - for me its a sitting duck - carpet bomb his backhand side and nothing dangerous is ever gonna come back

 

[Linelicker]

Ruud is an excellent tennis player. Only a sofa expert would try to find ways to criticize and ridicule a player with that much success. And yes, 10 titles, 2 slam finals, YECs final, career high of #2 is massive success. He has a really solid game with a great FH, and a great mover. You won't find more professional players than him. He is only 24 btw. Lots of years ahead of him.

People here have this ridiculous unrealistic standards where everything is judged by if you have 10 slams or not.

Couldn't agree more. Good post.

Losing to Rafa on PC doesn't make you a mug

 

[mike danny]

im going to go out on a limb and say hes better than ferrer

He isn't. He's worse actually. Ferrer could at least score wins over the Big 3 here and there. Ruud has yet to win a set against their older versions.

 

[augustobt]

Ruud's ranking and the fact that he was in 2 major finals last year makes the current tour look look like a bad taste joke. And all of that started with his "smart scheduling" of playing depleted 250s on clay during the "2020" olympics.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Ruud wins a 250 title playing no top 30 player, comes into an actually important tournament - the Masters in Monte Carlo and loses in straight sets today to #100 Struff.

I'm feeling quite vindicated with this thread and all the critical people who said I was too harsh on him. He priorities micky mouse tournaments and today's result has MORE than cemented that.

Lmao.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

people complain that ruud isnt very good and then they complain that he only wins 250s ... hahah

So what? Should Ruud issue a formal apology for winning the ‘wrong’ tennis matches?

Ferrer got butchered repeatedly on the big stage, don’t pretend otherwise lol.

I don’t understand the criticism. are top players not allowed to win 250’s

I think the Ruud bashing is getting boring. Compared to Berrettini, Shapovalov, Hurkacz etc, he is a more professional athlete than those guys, works harder, moves better, improves more and plays with a lot more consistency in his game.

I am not a huge fan of his tennis, but I think pointing at Ruud when the tour is weak is not a fair verdict.

If Ferrer would have been #1 in the world on today's tour, so be it. It doesn't make Ruud any worse, it tells more about the tour.

Guess he's sticking to just the 250's. Wins one last week without facing a top 35 player, today he's in an important Masters 100 tournament.... gets beaten in straight sets by #100 in the world. And yet you guys don't think he is literally majoring in mickey mouse tournaments? Can't even beat the #100 at a Masters tournament. But yay kudos for him on winning 10 ATP250 titles without facing a top 10 player. How you aren't seeing this i'll never know. Maybe he should lay off the 250's to give himself a chance at a Masters so he doesn't embarrass himself yet again with a loss to someone ranked #100....?

 

[TheNachoMan]

Ruud is the boxer who pummels the journeymen then gets exposed by a top contender. He’s done well for his limited talent it seems.

 

[Wander]

He isn't. He's worse actually. Ferrer could at least score wins over the Big 3 here and there. Ruud has yet to win a set against their older versions.

Ferrer will forever be underrated for playing through the era of Big 4. Yes he got overshadowed by all of them, but he was also a very consistent performer for about 10 straight seasons, amassing 27 singles titles from 52 finals. Yeah, he only got the 1 Masters 1000, but he made 6 more Masters finals, losing to Nadal, Murray, Federer or Djokovic each time. And like you said, sometimes Ferrer even beat one of those guys in the big tournaments before typically falling to another.

Ruud is of course a good player, but ultimately he's a "weaker Ferrer" playing at a more opportune time in tennis history.

 

[Chanwan]

Casper Ruud. A former #2. Now back to #4. He's won 10 titles on tour.

ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Hard
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay
ATP250 - Clay

He holds the 10th most titles on tour now. Ahead of Tsitsipas on 9 along with Dimitrov and Alcaraz on 8.

In all 10 of his title victories, he didn't defeat a single top 10 player. He won 3 of the 250 titles back to back to back making it a 13 match winning streak. The highest player defeated in those 3 title runs was #49 in the world.

Players like Jack Sock have a Masters title. Basilashvili has won two ATP500 titles, Ugo Humbert won a 500 defeating two top 10 players. Karatsev won Dubai 500 with wins over Sinner and Rublev.

Can we say Ruud has majored in minors so far?

yes, but he also has two slam RU's, which is more than most will ever come close to