"This is getting ugly for Casper Ruud" - Tennis insider concerned about Norwegian following Shanghai Masters 2R loss
With the Shanghai Masters being his last tournament of the season in Asia, Casper Ruud faced a surprising defeat at the hands of qualifier Aleksandar Vukic in the second round. The loss prompted journalist José Morgado to react, stating that "it's getting ugly" for the Norwegian, who hasn't won a match since the third round of the US Open.
At the 2024 Shanghai Masters, Ruud was seeded No. 9, earning him a bye in the first round. In his second-round clash against Vukic, Ruud lost 6-4, 6-4, marking the Australian's first-ever win against a top-10 player.
Before defeating Ruud, Vukic had beaten Corentin Moutet in the first round. His next opponent will be Tomáš Macháč in the third round.
After the match, José Morgado shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) featuring the moment Vukic secured the winning point, reacting to the Norwegian's recent form.
“My lord this is getting ugly for Casper…” - Jose Morgado said
Casper Ruud will next compete in the Stockholm Open, which is set to kick off on October 12, with the final scheduled for Sunday, October 20.
How Casper Ruud has fared in the 2024 season so far
Casper Ruud couldn't progress beyond the third round of the Australian Open, as Cameron Norrie knocked him out. He then moved on to the Los Cabos Open, where he reached the final but was outclassed by Jordan Thompson.
Ruud reached his second consecutive final of the season just a month later at the 2024 Mexican Open, but Australia's Alex de Minaur defeated him in straight sets.
Ruud's third final of the season came at the Monte-Carlo Masters after defeating Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. However, in the final, Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated him to lift his third title at the tournament.
Ruud’s impressive run continued later that April when he faced Tsitsipas again in the final of the Barcelona Open. This time, he avenged his earlier loss by defeating the Greek in straight sets.
He clinched his second title of the season at the Geneva Open, defeating Tomáš Macháč in the final, making him the only player to have won the tournament three times.
Ruud also had a great run at the French Open, reaching the semifinals, where his journey was halted by Alexander Zverev.
Since the French Open, the 25-year-old has struggled with his form, with the US Open being the only tournament where he advanced beyond the third round. However, during the summer, he represented Norway at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where he made an impressive run to the quarterfinals.