"Forcing players to show up injured" - Casper Ruud blasts ATP's system after shock French Open exit

Casper Ruud didn't mince words as he blatantly called out the ATP over its system of mandatory events. Ruud's critical take came in the wake of his shocking second-round loss at the 2025 French Open.

On Wednesday, May 28, the Norwegian locked horns with Nuno Borges from Portugal on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Things looked to be going smoothly for the two-time finalist at Roland Garros, as he comprehensively won the first set 6-2. However, a knee injury he carried into Paris flared up later, and Borges ruthlessly capitalized on the opportunity, winning the next three sets 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 to oust the ATP No. 8 from the clay Major.

During his post-match press conference, Casper Ruud bemoaned ATP's rules surrounding mandatory events, saying:

"It's kind of like a rat race when it comes to the rankings. You feel you're obligated to play with certain rules that the ATP have set up with the mandatory events. You feel like you lose a lot if you don't show up and play, both economically, point-wise, ranking-wise and opportunity-wise. I know these weeks and months are really important for the remainder of the year and for my career. Of course, if my leg is broken, I won't play."

The 26-year-old went on to lay bare the dilemma players face when they are slightly injured or sick in the buildup to the mandatory events, particularly due to the harsh consequences associated with missing them. Ruud added:

"But it's tough anyway, especially when there's a time with mandatory events to skip them because the punishments are quite hard, everyone else will play, gain points, and you won't. Also, there is a certain bonus system set up that is reduced if you don't show up to the mandatory events. It's a questionable system because on one hand, you don't want to show up injured, and you maybe give the spot to another one."

The 13-time ATP Tour-level singles titlist also revealed the hefty cut imposed on players' year-end bonuses for missing mandatory events, even if their reason for pulling out happens to be injury or illness.

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but if you don't play a mandatory event, they cut 25% of your year-end bonus. You are kind of forcing players to show up injured or sick, or whatever, when that is not what I think is very fair," Casper Ruud concluded.

For men's tennis players on the ATP Tour, the mandatory events primarily consist of the four Grand Slams, and eight out of nine Masters 1000 tournaments, with the Monte-Carlo Masters being the sole exception. Ruud won one of those mandatory Masters 1000 events in the buildup to this year's French Open.

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Casper Ruud won the biggest title of his career so far at Madrid Open 2025

Casper Ruud kisses the 2025 Madrid Open trophy (Source: Getty)

Victories against Arthur Rinderknech, Sebastian Korda, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev and Francisco Cerundolo helped Casper Ruud to reach the final of the 2025 Madrid Open. Remarkably, the Norwegian didn't drop a set across these five matches.

In the final, Ruud clashed against reigning Indian Wells champion Jack Draper. The Norwegian won the first set 7-5, but couldn't keep his streak of straight-set victories intact, as the Brit clinched the second 6-3. Ultimately though, it was Ruud who came out on top by winning the third and decisive set 6-4.

Where the ATP No. 8 plays next depends completely on the assessment of his knee injury that derailed his Roland Garros campaign.