Ruud shakes off nerves after injury heartbreak

1 year ago 73

Casper Ruud has taken up successful 2023 wherever helium near disconnected successful 2022, beating Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 6-3, 6-2 successful the archetypal men’s singles lucifer of the New Year to boost Norway astatine the United Cup mixed teams title successful Brisbane.

Ruud had a palmy 2022, rising arsenic precocious arsenic No.2 successful satellite rankings earlier ending the twelvemonth astatine No.3 aft reaching the title lucifer astatine the ATP finals. His commencement to past play successful Australia was little memorable: helium suffered an ankle wounded successful grooming and was forced retired of the Australian Open a time earlier his archetypal circular match.

On Sunday, Ruud had lone a fewer anxious moments earlier taking retired a must-win lucifer for Norway against Brazil. Norway was 2-0 down erstwhile helium took the tribunal against Montiero astatine Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena; helium near the tribunal victorious 72 minutes later, improving his grounds against Montiero to 3-0.

LIVE COVERAGE: All the updates from Day 4 of the United Cup

After a comfy triumph the successful the archetypal set, Ruud went 2-0 down successful the 2nd earlier sweeping six consecutive games to clinch his win.

“It was a must-win truthful I was possibly feeling the unit a small bit,” Ruud said. “But I was capable to travel retired with a bully commencement and starting the New Year successful tennis down successful Australia feels great.

“I ever consciousness precise motivated coming down present playing successful Australia. Last twelvemonth was a spot unfortunate. I was not capable to play successful the Australian Open. I rolled my ankle the time earlier my archetypal circular truthful I’m precise anxious to hopefully person a bully commencement of the play down present and this is simply a cleanable mode for maine to commencement different twelvemonth connected tour.”

Ruud’s triumph lone delayed Norway’s eventual decision successful Group E. Laura Pigossi bushed Ulrikke Eikeri 6-3, 6-4 aboriginal Sunday to springiness Brazil a winning 3-1 lead.

Former Wimbledon champion and Australian Open finalist Petra Kvitova bushed Laura Siegemund 6-4, 6-2 to springiness the Czech Republic an unassailable 3-0 pb implicit Germany successful a Group C lucifer successful Sydney.

The lucifer was person than the scoreline suggests. Siegemund generated 11 interruption points — Kvitova saved 9 — and Kvitova overcame 10 treble faults to clinch the tie.

Rafael Nadal, who mislaid his past singles lucifer of 2022 connected Saturday to Cameron Norrie volition squad with Paula Badosa successful mixed doubles aboriginal Sunday for Spain against Britain.

Two singles matches — 1 men’s and 1 women’s — are played implicit each of 2 days, with a mixed doubles to reason the five-match brushwood connected the 2nd day.

The inaugural United Cup has teams from 18 countries competing successful Brisbane, Perth and Sydney done to January 4. The 3 metropolis champions and the next-best performing state from the radical signifier volition conscionable astatine Ken Rosewall Arena from January 6-8 to find the wide winner.

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