The success at the Caja Majica proved to be the pivotal part of Casper Ruud’s campaign this season as he now moved into the world no. 7 spot of the ATP Rankings. The Norwegian star has been grinding hard in the game and is clearly on the prowl for bigger strides in the year. Now finally back in the top 10, it is expected that Ruud will be putting up more competitive runs in the clay season.

Slated to play in the Italian Open’s Round of 64, Casper Ruud has been really on the climb this year and is moving way too fast with the way he has moved eight places into rankings and has proven that he is a star to be reckoned with. He defeated Jack Draper in the final of the Madrid Open, which was a hard-fought clash that reached the headlines.

With the Italian Open looming and the subsequent Roland Garros not far ahead, it seems that Ruud is getting back on track in his games right on time. This is the perfect time for the Norwegian star to make the most of his calendar and even make a daring dash to the top five or better yet – the world no. 1 spot.

The Rise of the Norwegian Star

Casper Ruud claimed not just the Madrid Open trophy, but also his first Masters 1000 win. At the age of 26, it is expected that he would have won it a long time ago. It seems that he’s overdue for elite performances this year as he continues to come up with a huge rally. He is set to take on the Italian Open and will definitely be in for a lot of points this time around.

Ruud was eliminated in his opening match in the previous edition of the Italian Open. This time he is looking to get his groove going on that end and put his clay dominance on display. Time and time again, Ruud has proven that he can be one of the best players in the game, and one can say that this is really his breakthrough run.

“My record in big finals is still not good, it's 1-6,” Ruud said. “I’ve been in many unbelievable and incredible positions in my career, and I've been able to experience some great things and, unfortunately, have been on the losing spectrum of many of those matches, but that's okay.”

Ruud has often been criticized for blowing leads in high-intensity tournaments. In the previous finals that the Norwegian star has played in, he has faced the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Stefanos Tsitsipas – all players who have been at least in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings.

The Chase for Clay Glory

Ruud has suffered exits this year in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona. He has won just three out of five matches across the two events, but his success in Madrid Open was a redeeming act that is setting him up for bigger glory in the clay season.

“Since Roland Garros last year, I've had quite many months of struggling and not many good results, so it's worth the wait,” Ruud said. “I think I've accepted that I've had to, or I took one or two steps back in my game and my feelings on court in order to take two or three steps forward again. Here in Madrid it feels like I've taken four steps forward, so that's a great feeling.”

Ruud is currently fifth overall in the Live Race to Turin and is definitely carrying a lot of momentum in his games. It is expected that the Rome Open and the subsequent Roland Garros will be his chance to put up a huge rally in the season.