ROLAND GARROS

June 8, 2023

Casper Ruud

Press Conference

C. RUUD/H. Rune

6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Casper. Was this the best match you played on clay this year?

CASPER RUUD: Yeah, might be. I mean, first two sets went like a bit surprisingly quick. I think I didn't necessarily need to play, like, unbelievable because I think Holger was not playing his best level. He was doing some unforced errors, a couple of double faults here and there, and sort of handed me at least the first set.

The second set I was able to also continue playing well. Yeah, I was very happy with fighting sort of back, after losing the third set, and the fourth and getting that one break. I served great when I had to in the fourth.

Very happy. It's for sure maybe the biggest win of the year for me considering how the year has been, so very happy with it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said surprisingly easy the first two sets. We as Danes had difficulties recognizing Holger in the first two sets. What was your experience of him?

CASPER RUUD: Yeah, it's tough to explain. That's how tennis and any I think sport that contains ball is sometimes. Sometimes you just maybe are not feeling it. Sometimes it goes this much out. Other times it goes this much in.

He is obviously not trying to play bad, but Holger plays, in my eyes, very aggressive, especially on the returns. He goes for big shots on the returns. I think he was doing a couple of errors.

Then, yeah, like I said, he was doing more unforced errors than usual. So why that happened today and tonight, I don't know. It's an advantage for me obviously. But yeah, I'm sure he feels like he could have played better, and I also do.

Compared to Rome, the last two sets that he played there -- the last two sets of Rome and compared to the first two sets today was pretty different obviously, and the level was very different.

I mean, I could clearly see that, so not sure exactly what happened. You'll have to ask him. It was definitely a big difference, yes.

Q. What are your thoughts about the next match with Sascha?

CASPER RUUD: It's going to be hopefully a fun one. I think it's great to see Sascha back. I think both for him and me, this is our biggest result this year, reaching the semifinal. I think we will try to play with shoulders down and just try to enjoy it.

It's been a tough year for Sascha, and he has fought his way back, and he is back in the semifinal here. The beginning of this year for me has not been great, so it's great to get a good result here for me.

Yeah, I think we will both just try to enjoy the moment. We would both love, of course, to be in the final on Sunday, so we're going to give it all and we're going to be ready to hopefully put on a good match.

Q. Looking at Holger today, it was like we know that he has a high ceiling and a low ceiling. Can you tell us what you think he needs to improve on. You've played him six times now as a pro, and maybe describe him as player, what he needs to develop to threaten you and then the top players in the Grand Slams.

CASPER RUUD: You know, honestly, I'm not his coach. You're maybe gonna have to ask Patrick about that.

He plays aggressively. He plays fearless. Some days he will play wonderful, and he will hit some of the most beautiful winners, some of the most beautiful dropshots that any player can hit. Some days, some evenings like today, he will be a bit, I don't know, uncoordinated or do more mistakes than usual.

I'm not sure what he has to sort of change in order to maybe, I don't know, improve in that way. But he is young. He will learn. He is one of the youngest guys on tour. He is one of the best in the world already, so he has 15 years to improve and improve and improve.

I think he has the right mindset. Today, anyway, lucky for me he was firing more errors than usual, so I'm sure he will try to learn from this match.

What it takes, I don't know, to do well at the Grand Slams? It just takes physical and mental sort of focus and you have to stay there for a long time. You have to know that every match can be long, and I think that's what I was ready for today.

It seemed like he was trying to finish the point a little too early here and there, and that's why he was doing some errors, I think.