INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 13, 2022

Casper Ruud

Press Conference

C. RUUD/D. Shapovalov

7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Casper.

Q. Just a comment about the match.

CASPER RUUD: Yeah, it was challenging and tough match. I think it was good level from both players. We were both serving very well. It was not easy to break each other.

I was lucky to get one break point of I think it was 14 or 15. I was struggling a little bit on the break points (smiling).

All in all I knew I was doing the right things and giving myself some chances. Yeah, I'm happy that I was able to play better when I really had to in the most important moments.

Q. Overall how important was for this clay season the improve you had done on the hard courts?

CASPER RUUD: Yeah, I think I'm always trying to develop my game, if it's clay or hard court or even grass. We don't play so much on grass. But hard court is always the surface we play more on the tour.

I enjoy playing on hard court, even if of course some people will say I'm a clay court specialist, this or that. I still like to play on hard court. I think it brings another challenge to the game.

The last months, before the clay, we play hard court for a long time. I think in a way it's helping me to improve my overall game.

Q. You said few times ago that Scandinavian young players were not very keen to sacrifice. Do you notice some change with you and maybe Rune and Ruusuvuori going up in the ATP Tour? Change the attitude or still the same?

CASPER RUUD: Hopefully. I cannot speak for Denmark and Sweden or Finland because I'm not there too much.

It's fun to see that all the Scandinavian countries, they have one player or one profile that are doing well and are top hundred in the world. With me, like you said Rune had an amazing year, won his first tournament. Ruusuvuori has played a final. Ymer has also been in the final of an ATP tournament. It's fun to see we all have one player each. Hopefully this can build for future generations.

I know in Norway it will maybe take some time before we have a new player on the ATP Tour after myself. Hopefully it can happen in the future and that I can be a part of motivating younger players in Norway, maybe also in Sweden, Denmark and Finland.