"Novak Djokovic deserves to be considered the best of all time" - Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud lavished praises on Novak Djokovic and hailed him as the greatest tennis player of all time. The Norwegian also touched upon how the Serb has now won every big title in the tennis world after taking home the gold at the Paris Olympics.
Ruud is currently back home to represent Norway at the Davis Cup. He will be joined by Nicolai Budkov Kjær, the 2024 Wimbledon Championships boys' singles champion, and Viktor Durasovic. They will face Nuno Borges-led Portugal on September 13 and 14 at the Nadderud Arena, Bekkestua, Norway.
Ahead of his Davis Cup campaign, Casper Ruud sat down for an interview with Eurosport and expressed his opinion on various topics, including who is the best tennis player of all time.
The former World No. 2 did not mince while naming Novak Djokovic for the accolade, noting that he has won all big titles on the ATP Tour (four Grand Slams + Masters 1000s + Olympics gold medal) in his illustrious career.
“Djokovic is a tough nut to crack and certainly deserves to be considered the best of all time. There is no doubt about everything he has won. I often say that it is not possible to “round off” tennis like a video game when there is nothing else to achieve, but in terms of merits and tournament victories, Djokovic has won all the titles possible. It was fantastic to see him win Olympic gold this season," Ruud said.
Novak Djokovic finally won the Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. He defeated the likes of Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Carlos Alcaraz on his way. Ruud also participated in the Paris Olympics but lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.
Casper Ruud faced Novak Djokovic six times in his career
Casper Ruud has faced off against Novak Djokovic several times over the recent years. The duo's first meeting came at the 2020 Italian Open, where Djokovic defeated Ruud in straight sets. The Serb emerged victorious against the Norwegian in their next four contests at the 2021 ATP Finals, 2022 Italian Open, 2022 ATP Finals, and 2023 Roland Garros without dropping a set.
Casper Ruud finally broke his losing streak against Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters. The two men competed in the semifinals of the Masters 1000 tournament, and the Norwegian came out on top in a three-set affair. Ruud and Djokovic were also set to face each other in the quarterfinal of the 2024 Roland Garros, but the latter withdrew from the match.
Currently, Djokovic is in Serbia to represent his nation at the 2024 Davis Cup. Miomir Kecmanovic and Hamad Medjedovic will join him on Serbia's team, facing Greece on September 14 and 15 at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade.