by Casper Ruud has pointed out a bizarre complaint that many ATP players always complain about to the referee.
Things haven’t been going so smoothly for Casper Ruud on the pitch lately.
The Norwegian has not won consecutive singles matches since the US Open. Ruud, second seeded in Basel, was stunned in his opening game by the resurgent Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
While the three-time Grand Slam finalist is known for his skills on clay courts, the hard courts are a close second.
Nonetheless, Ruud is a measured and sensible person on the court and is in stark contrast to many of his volatile ATP colleagues.
Casper Ruud reveals a “weird” complaint made by ATP players
While Novak Djokovic caused a stir in Shanghai, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas complained about their various shortcomings and Frances Tiafoe insulted the referee, on-court behavior never seemed so bad.
Ruud addressed the recent rise in disgruntled tennis players and explained what many stars are currently complaining about – a topic he believes is completely pointless.
Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, Ruud said: “The funny thing for me about some players is that they come to training five days in advance and I often do that myself, unless you’re traveling from tournament to tournament.”
“They string like 28s to get the right tension because people are really into strings. Then they get to the fourth round and start complaining about the balls, but it’s been the same ball for nine days.
“What’s the point of bringing it up to the referee now? What will he change?” Ruud laughed.
Given the controversy over a new ITF rule, I doubt players’ dissatisfaction will subside any time soon.
Can Casper Ruud qualify for the ATP Finals?
With a strong start to the season, Ruud secured two titles, reached three more finals and reached the semi-finals of Roland Garros.
However, the Norwegian has not managed to reach the final rounds of a tournament since the French Open and an opening round defeat in Basel did not improve his qualification prospects.
Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Paris Masters, where he is the defending champion, jeopardizes his chances of qualifying.
With Alex de Minaur still fresh from a long-term injury and Andrey Rublev as unpredictable as ever, Ruud could simply sneak his way into Turin.
Whether he can achieve much there is another question!
Related Posts
