World No. 7 Casper Ruud has explained his reasons for showing support for world No. 2 Iga Swiatek following her participation in the Madrid tournament.
Ruud had reached out to Swiatek on social media after her semi-final defeat by Coco Gauff. The Norwegian player posted: `Hey Iga, keep your head up! Like millions of others, I love watching you play. Today wasn`t your day, but you inspire many and will come back even stronger.`
“I saw a video from the court where she looked very dejected,” Ruud said. “I don`t know what she was feeling or what was going through her mind at that moment, but I felt like she needed some kind of support. So I tried to encourage her somehow.”
“She is an incredible player – and not just her,” he added. “Women`s tennis is very exciting right now. Sabalenka is dominating, Iga has already won five Grand Slams at such a young age, Coco is third in the world. They are very interesting to watch.”
Ruud continued: “I watched the women`s final a bit, so yes, I follow women`s tennis a little. I find Coco`s matches very interesting. I like both Coco and Iga because they play powerfully and aggressively, move well, and know how to slide. I think it`s great that women have also taken their physical abilities to a new level.”
“I enjoy watching how their game develops. I think Roland Garros will be unpredictable this year for both men and women,” Ruud concluded, speaking at a press conference after his victory in Madrid.
Gilbert Pendleton