World No. 7 Casper Ruud shared his thoughts on the significance of the clay season for his aspirations.
When asked about the pressure he might feel during this part of the year, considering his past success on this surface, Ruud responded that it`s a mixed feeling. He explained that while he acknowledges the importance of rankings, he tries not to be consumed by the weekly fluctuations. “I think I`ve come to terms with the fact that if you chase the ranking every week, at some point it will get to you,” Ruud stated. “I have achieved a lot in terms of ranking. Of course, there`s one more spot I`m aiming for. I`ve been No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5… I`ve been in almost every position except for No. 1. It`s a dream for every tennis player.”
However, Ruud emphasized his current focus is more on the year-end race, saying, “I think the most important ranking to consider is the Race to Turin. Currently, my position isn`t great. I hope it will improve after the clay season. I know I can perform well on hard courts too, but clay is personally my favorite surface. If things don`t go as planned on clay, there will be hard court events later in the year. Of course, I`d love to achieve great results here on clay. There are some fantastic and important tournaments coming up,” Ruud concluded in his on-court interview following his second-round victory at the Monte-Carlo Masters against Roberto Bautista Agut.
