'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABxAAAgEDBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMCAAQxBQYREhMiNAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAxEBAQACAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAERIhMWGh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCE7J0XbFxt23jqFq1pvRcylKBiCJJZwsRx1EcnPY1F7pKk3Ll+ZfoyUfiUcHjJNKUbMzEIA1yX271gStXYqk8Se/A9v1z/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Casper Ruud received some words of support from tennis legend Chris Evert after the former claimed that his game was not too flashy.
Ruud won his first title of the 2023 season by winning the Estoril Open, beating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the final. This was the 10th title of the Norwegian's career and his ninth on clay.
After the match, Ruud claimed that the media did not write much about him since his game was not among the more flashy ones on the ATP Tour.
"People don't write much about me. I think that's also because I don't have the most flashy game and most beautiful winners, forehand, backhand, serve. But in the end I'm winning quite a lot of matches. The ranking is 52 weeks, last year I won many matches," Casper Ruud said.
Evert reacted to Ruud's statements with a supportive message. She claimed that the Norwegian was a winner who "got the job done" which was more important than having a flashy style of play.
"You don’t need to be flashy, you get the job done, and that’s what counts… #winner," Evert tweeted.
Ruud's win in Estoril comes following a string of disappointing performances over the past few months. The 24-year-old now has a 9-6 record so far this season.
"I will always have a very big focus on the clay season" - Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud stated that he would always place a lot of focus on the clay-court season. This is because he believes the chances of him winning or playing too many matches on grass courts were small.
"I know the odds of me playing and winning many matches on grass are very small. So I just have to be in this mentality that clay is very important for me. During my season, and in my career, I will always have a very big focus on the clay season," Ruud said.
Casper Ruud will next compete at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he is seeded fourth. He will face either Marton Fucsovics or Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round of the Masters 1000 event.
Ruud had a pretty good clay-court season in 2022, reaching the French Open final and the semifinals of the Italian Open. He also managed to win the Geneva Open by beating Joao Sousa in the final.
