Casper Ruud finds himself at a pivotal crossroads in his career. After a recent loss at the United Cup, the Norwegian is turning his focus to the ASB Classic while taking note of how the sport’s younger generation is raising the intensity in new ways. His observations have a candid look at how the game is evolving and what it takes to stay at the highest level.
Jannik Sinner and Joao Fonseca Forcing Casper Ruud to Reshape His Approach
Ruud defeated Australian Alex de Minaur at the United Cup in Sydney, but his subsequent encounter with the 20-year-old Jakub Menšík delivered a significant reality check. The Norwegian team lost decisively, 7-5, 7-6(6), to the Czech prodigy in a Group D match that ultimately eliminated Norway from the tournament. This defeat led Ruud to a deeper introspection about his competitive position within the current ATP Tour.
During his pre-tournament press conference in Auckland on Monday, Ruud acknowledged the game’s transformation and his willingness to adapt accordingly.
“Seeing how the game has changed has made me realise that maybe I need to change my game a little,” he told the media. “Trying to look for improvements, I have been studying a lot of the younger guys over the last weeks and months, how my game needs to develop to handle their type of tennis,” Ruud elaborated.
MORE: Jannik Sinner Receives Concerned Pleas From Fans After WTA Player Reveals ‘Really Bad’ Problem in Australia
The generational divide Ruud references encompasses players from Jannik Sinner at the upper end to Joao Fonseca among the youngest practitioners of this emerging style. “The generation consists of Sinner as the oldest one, then you can go down to Fonseca, who is the youngest one. In that age group, between five and six years, they really rip the ball and play a different style of tennis,” the 27-year-old Norwegian observed. “That’s something I’ve needed to get used to.”
Rather than relying upon a single dominant stroke, these players have developed multiple powerful shots across both flanks. “They don’t just have one big shot; they typically have two: both the forehand and backhand are great. If you look at Menšík, I lost against him last week at the United Cup. He has a great serve and hits the backhand hard from both sides. You see it more and more,” Ruud noted, using his recent conqueror as an exemplary case study.
Menšík’s performance specifically demonstrated this principle, with the Czech delivering 16 aces while converting 78% of his first-serve points to secure the victory.
Ruud’s 2025 Campaign and Australian Swing Preparations
The year 2025 presented Ruud with contrasting narratives. While early rounds at major tournaments proved disappointing, he ultimately captured two ATP titles: the Madrid Masters 1000 in May, his first Masters 1000 crown, and the Stockholm ATP 250 in October. These achievements elevated his career total to 14 ATP singles titles. His hard-court performance during 2025 showed competency, though the missed grass season due to a knee injury sustained at the French Open prevented momentum from building toward Wimbledon.
MORE: Ben Shelton Explains Why He Is Happy To Avoid ‘Difficult’ Situation With Unconventional Move at ASB Classic
Historically, Auckland has proven to be a challenging venue for Ruud’s ambitions. In his previous three appearances at the ASB Classic, he has never progressed beyond the opening round, including a second-round loss in 2023 to Laslo Djere. He enters the tournament as the second seed, which carries implicit pressure to achieve a deeper run finally.
The Australian Open, meanwhile, remains similarly challenging territory. His best Melbourne performance came in 2021 when he reached the round of 16 before falling to Andrey Rublev, while his subsequent appearances have yielded early exits, including last year’s second-round loss to Menšík.
