"It’s just sad" - Casper Ruud lashes out at bettors with 'no shame' as he addresses receiving hateful messages after losses

Norwegian tennis star Casper Ruud addressed a lot of things during his press conference at the Stockholm Open following his straight-sets win against veteran Marin Cilic.

One important talking point was social media trolling, and Ruud has a reason to believe it has something to do with betting. Given the rise of hateful messages on social media platforms, Ruud claims that such voices are often from bettors who lost their money.

“Unfortunately, it has become a common thing for athletes due to bettors who have no filter and no shame about what they are writing," Ruud said. "It’s the dark side of that world."

Ruud said he keeps himself away from reading their comments and keeps his focus on what happens on court.

"I try not to read it and not get affected by it," he added. "I like to think that they’re overreacting and throwing out crazy stuff because they’re angry that we didn’t do well for their bets. It’s just sad overall."

Casper Ruud breaks down why "bigger prize money" isn’t always better

Casper Ruud warns new professional tennis stars about the myth of "bigger prize money." Despite the growing prize money in ATP Masters events, Ruud breaks down expenditures to explain why it still isn't enough.

He took the example of expanded draws at tournaments like Indian Wells and Miami, where early-round exits can lead to unexpected financial strain.

"If you lose in the first round of Indian Wells, let’s say, you have Miami in two weeks, so that’s two weeks of expenses, for living, eating, salaries of the team," Ruud said.

"We are also compensated by the bonus pool and profit sharing, which are good ideas, so at the end of the day, we get a bit of bonus, but it also requires that we play. So it’s a bit of a give or take, they [ATP Tour] pull one way, we [players] the other."

Ruud also shared that he's not a fan of the two-week Masters event as it means "more traveling, more nights away from your home." He credited the Monte Carlo and Paris Masters for their quick format. Despite that, Ruud also acknowledged that the two-week format is only in the best interest of tennis as it means more income and more prize money.