Miami Open tournament director James Blake was less than impressed by Casper Ruud’s conduct during his second-round match at the ongoing event.
Following an opening-round bye, Ruud faced Luca Van Assche in the second round of the 2024 Miami Open on Saturday, March 23. The Norwegian came out on top with a 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-1 win, but he did not enjoy his time on the court.
During one of his changeovers, Casper Ruud complained to the chair umpire about the allegedly “cheap” tournament conditions.
"There's been no towels, no cold water, and just a plastic chair to change. This is a joke. And you know why it is, because the tournament is too cheap to put up something good for the players," he said.
Miami Open tournament director, James Blake, has now broken his silence to address the controversy. According to the Miami Herald, Blake indicated that it was possible the towels in the temporary changing room, which is a trailer, were not restocked because of the incessant rain the previous day. He, however, denied there being no cold water or towels on the court.
Speaking about how Casper Ruud handled the situation, Blake said:
"We’ve all had a bad day out on the court and said some things, I’m definitely an example of that. I would get upset at an umpire and say something that really had nothing to do with the match," he told Miami Herald.
The former World No. 4 opined that Casper Ruud’s “rant” stemmed from his setback on the court.
"He had just gotten broken and that’s frustrating time. So, I get it and no hard feelings. I wish it had been handled in a different way," he said.
The American added that he did not appreciate the former World No. 2’s accusations.
"The best way is to talk to me, don’t go on the court and rant and rave about it," he said, adding, "But I totally understand, being a competitor, he was in the heat of the battle."
James Blake also hinted that, according to him, such incidents get blown out of proportion on social media.
"I think this is one instance where it definitely helps that I was a player because I recognize when something is said in the heat of battle and said to an umpire, and we live in a social media era where things get picked up and take on a life of their own," he said.
Casper Ruud crashes out of Miami Open 2024
Following his win against Luca Van Assche, Casper Ruud, the 2022 Miami Open runner-up, defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-4 in the third round. The Norwegian was knocked out by Nicolas Jarry 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the fourth round on Tuesday, March 26.
Ruud has yet to win a title since his 2023 Estoril Open triumph in April. He reached four other finals over the past year, including the 2023 French Open, but came up short in each.
The 25-year-old will now look for renewed success as he gears up to defend his title in Estoril (April 1-7).
