octobrina10
Talk Tennis Guru
In 1996, Casper's father won the River Oaks Invitational Tennis Tournament held in Houston. In 2008, the River Oaks International was merged with the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
Houston Chronicle, April 6, 2019:
¤¤ Casper Ruud follows in father's footsteps at Clay Courts
(Excerpts)
Christian Ruud returned to Houston and River Oaks Country Club this weekend with some great memories. He also returned with his son, Casper, who is intent upon making some memories of his own in the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. /---/
The older Ruud won the River Oaks Invitational title in 1996, a year after he climbed to his career — and Norwegian — best of 39th in the world rankings. Although River Oaks wasn’t an ATP World Tour event, winning felt just as sweet and he made sure his son got to see his name engraved on the plaque under the north grandstand honoring the exhibition tournament’s champions as soon as they arrived on the grounds.
/---/
No Norwegian had been able to break into the top-100 since Christian was in his prime.
“We’re lacking the indoor facilities, which we need (because of the long, cold winters) and the tennis tradition’s just not there,” Christian said of Norway’s modest tennis past. “It’s the skiing and the winter sports that have the biggest traditions.
Nonetheless, he encouraged Casper to follow in his footsteps “since he was a little boy.” To further his prospects of success at the Tour level, it was decided Casper would enter Rafael Nadal’s relatively new tennis academy on the Spanish island of Mallorca in the fall of 2018. Nadal, of course, is considered the greatest clay-court player in history, and the program is overseen by his own mentor, uncle Toni Nadal.
Rudd enjoys the occasional privilege of practicing with Nadal — “he’s still much better than everyone at the academy,” he conceded — and the 11-time French Open champion routinely sends him texts of encouragement.
“It’s been really good,” Ruud said. “It’s great learning from one of the best to ever to do it and from his coaches and his team. They have everything a professional player would need to train well and stay healthy. It was tough for me to stay for long periods in Norway and get pushed really hard.” /---/
Ruud’s goal for the 2019 season is “to reach No. 50”. /---/
Read more:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/article/USCLAY0407-13747386.php
Vamos Casper!
Houston Chronicle, April 6, 2019:
¤¤ Casper Ruud follows in father's footsteps at Clay Courts
(Excerpts)
Christian Ruud returned to Houston and River Oaks Country Club this weekend with some great memories. He also returned with his son, Casper, who is intent upon making some memories of his own in the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. /---/
The older Ruud won the River Oaks Invitational title in 1996, a year after he climbed to his career — and Norwegian — best of 39th in the world rankings. Although River Oaks wasn’t an ATP World Tour event, winning felt just as sweet and he made sure his son got to see his name engraved on the plaque under the north grandstand honoring the exhibition tournament’s champions as soon as they arrived on the grounds.
/---/
No Norwegian had been able to break into the top-100 since Christian was in his prime.
“We’re lacking the indoor facilities, which we need (because of the long, cold winters) and the tennis tradition’s just not there,” Christian said of Norway’s modest tennis past. “It’s the skiing and the winter sports that have the biggest traditions.
Nonetheless, he encouraged Casper to follow in his footsteps “since he was a little boy.” To further his prospects of success at the Tour level, it was decided Casper would enter Rafael Nadal’s relatively new tennis academy on the Spanish island of Mallorca in the fall of 2018. Nadal, of course, is considered the greatest clay-court player in history, and the program is overseen by his own mentor, uncle Toni Nadal.
Rudd enjoys the occasional privilege of practicing with Nadal — “he’s still much better than everyone at the academy,” he conceded — and the 11-time French Open champion routinely sends him texts of encouragement.
“It’s been really good,” Ruud said. “It’s great learning from one of the best to ever to do it and from his coaches and his team. They have everything a professional player would need to train well and stay healthy. It was tough for me to stay for long periods in Norway and get pushed really hard.” /---/
Ruud’s goal for the 2019 season is “to reach No. 50”. /---/
Read more:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/article/USCLAY0407-13747386.php
Vamos Casper!
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