Did Casper Ruud go to Rafa Nadal Academy?

Casper Ruud is a Norwegian professional tennis player who achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 2 in September 2022. He made history as the first Norwegian male to make it to a Grand Slam final, becoming the runner-up at Roland-Garros in 2022. He also reached the US Open final that year, marking his second major final.

In 2023, he reached the French Open final for the second time in his short career. Ruud has won 11 ATP titles till date, including nine on clay and one ATP 500 title. After winning consecutive titles on clay, Ruud has established himself as one of the best clay court players on tour.

Ruud is ranked World No. 7 by the ATP as of May 2024. Ruud recorded his best performance at the 2022 ATP Finals, where he reached the finals of the tournament, defeating Andrey Rublev in the semifinal.

In the 2024 Los Cabos Open and 2024 Mexican Open finals, he lost to Jordan Thompson and Alex de Minaur, respectively. After reaching the fourth round of the 2024 Miami Open, he achieved his 100th victory on a hardcourt and became the only male player under 25 to win 100 games or more on both clay and hard courts. He defeated No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters to reach the final. However, Tsitsipas defeated him in the final. Ruud won his first ATP 500 title at the 2024 Barcelona Open, defeating Tsitsipas in the final.

He appeared in the documentary named Break Point, which premiered on January 13, 2023. Ruud's playing style includes pulling his opponent around the court to finally open up an opportunity to strike the winning point in the match.

Did Casper Ruud attend the Rafa Nadal Academy?

Yes, Casper Ruud went to the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2018. He trained under the legendary Rafael Nadal and learned the ins and outs of the sport from the tennis legend. Rafael Nadal founded his tennis academy which is managed by his former coach and uncle, Tony Nadal, along with other family members.

Talking about practicing with Nadal at his academy in Manacor, Casper Ruud mentioned that he often lost to Nadal in practice matches. He jokingly warned Nadal that he wouldn't be his student but his opponent at the French Open final. "We've played practice sets at the academy. And, yeah, honestly, he usually beats me. Some sets have been close, like 7-6, 7-5, but he mostly wins. But that's because we're at the academy, and I want to be kind and let him win," Ruud joked after winning against Marin Cilic in the semi-final of the 2022 French Open.

Casper Ruud's dad, Christian Ruud, explained how his son got the chance to train at Nadal's academy. They have a good relationship with the coaches and staff there. "When my son, Casper, was a teenager, Carlos Costa approached me during the French Open. He asked if Casper wanted to come to the Rafa Nadal Academy and try it," said Christian Ruud. "It was a big decision for us. We're happy with our connection with them and hope it continues for a long time," he recalled in an interview.

Also Read: Where was Casper Ruud born?