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Norwegian tennis sensation Casper Ruud recently spoke about his passion for the game from an early age.
The 24-year-old had a strong 2022 campaign, having a 51-22 win-loss record and winning three titles in Buenos Aires, Geneva, and Gstaad. While he only won the ATP 250 events, his results in major tournaments were outstanding.
Ruud reached the finals of two Grand Slam tournaments, the French Open and the US Open, as well as the ATP Finals and the Miami Masters. He also achieved a career-high World No. 2 ranking.
Casper Ruud revealed in a recent interview with TopCourt that, despite not enjoying school as a child, he always looked forward to going to the tennis court since he has always been fiercely competitive.
"I still had to go to school and try to focus a little bit on the subject, which was not always my favorite thing to do, to go to school. But, I was always excited to get to the tennis court and get to play. And we were always, like I said, I have always been competitive," Casper Ruud said.
The World No. 3 continued by mentioning how, when he was the best in his age group in Norway, he used to challenge kids and how, if given the opportunity, he would practice for hours on end by playing points.
"So, you know, the funniest thing for me to do was to play points and challenge to the other kids at home, usually the older kids because, I have to be honest and say that I was the best in my age in Norway so I would be able to play with the older kids and it was nothing better than beating a guy year or two older," Ruud stated.
"So, I was always looking forward to the practices in the afternoon and if I had the chance, I could probably stay for hours and hours playing points and all these things with other players," he added.
Casper Ruud wins the Aftenposten gold medal for his achievements in 2022
Casper Ruud recently received the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten gold medal for his outstanding 2022 season.
The medal is one of Norway's most important athletic honors, having been earned by some of the country's best athletes in the past. The 24-year-old also became the first tennis player to win the award in its 89-year history.
