Casper Ruud defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, to reach the Madrid Open quarter-finals.
The Norwegian saved two match points during the latter stages of the third set, before breaking Tsitsipas back to force a tiebreak.
Ruud won the final-set tiebreak 7-6 [7-3], raising his level when it mattered most.
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The defending champion has won his last nine matches at the Madrid Open…
After the match, Ruud shared what he told himself before saving match points in the final set.
Casper Ruud told himself ‘this is why we train hard’ during key moment vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
During his post-match interview, Ruud was asked if his inability to convert break points frustrated him.
“I was frustrated, because I knew, I knew I had many, there were a couple of games where I had 0-40, 15-40, and I felt like he served big at all of them, and that’s the way it goes, too good, well done by him, serving himself out of it,” said Ruud.
“I think I had one or two second serves where I had the point in play, but you move on and just hope that you get one more break point, and luckily I did.
Casper Ruud vs Stefanos Tsitsipas – Match stats
| Stats | Casper Ruud | Stefanos Tsitsipas |
| Aces | 8 | 6 |
| Double faults | 2 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 70% | 60% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 82% | 73% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 72% | 56% |
| Break points | 1/12 | 1/5 |
“It was nice to see, obviously you don’t hope for mistakes out of your opponent’s racket, you want to see great tennis, but when you’re on a break point to stay in the match, you kind of hope for an unforced error, and luckily he did.
“At 5-5, I said to myself, this is why we train hard, this is why we love the sport, for these moments.
“So I really was able to step up, luckily.”
Ruud was understandably proud of the way he fought back to secure his ninth consecutive win at the Madrid Open.
Casper Ruud’s Madrid Open winning streak
- 1. 2025 Madrid Open 2R [WIN] vs Arthur Rinderknech
- 2. 2025 Madrid Open 3R [WIN] vs Sebastian Korda
- 3. 2025 Madrid Open 4R [WIN] vs Taylor Fritz
- 4. 2025 Madrid Open QF [WIN] vs Daniil Medvedev
- 5. 2025 Madrid Open SF [WIN] vs Francisco Cerundolo
- 6. 2025 Madrid Open F [WIN] vs Jack Draper
- 7. 2026 Madrid Open 2R [WIN] vs Jaume Munar
- 8. 2026 Madrid Open 3R [WIN] vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- 9. 2026 Madrid Open 4R [WIN] vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
“I was on the brink of being on the way home already. Just really happy and proud the way I fought back,” he said.
“The first two sets were really close, obviously the score line said so as well.
“The third set, I kind of felt like I had a better beginning. I had some break chances early on.
“I had somewhat of an easy sitter forehand. The plan was to go big cross, and then I changed my mind a split-second before, I hesitated, and I went down the line, and I hit it on the top of the net.
“Those things you tend to remember, unfortunately, a bit too long, so that was a key point for him. Then he broke me in the next game, so that was two really tough games for me to swallow.
“But we moved on, and luckily, the last chance I had, I was able to break back and stay alive in the match.
“Also, the tiebreak, turning it around, I was a little bit down in the beginning, but then I played some clutch points. The return at 3-3 in the tiebreak is maybe what wins the match for me.
“I get a mini break, and then I play two good points behind my serve.
“6-3 up, you feel like you’re just there, managed to get one extra ball in, which was the key today.”
Ruud just managed to get himself over the line against Tsitsipas, but what’s next for the Norwegian star?
Casper Ruud will play Francisco Cerundolo or Alexander Blockx in the Madrid Open quarter-finals
Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and Belgium’s Alexander Blockx will take to the court later on Tuesday evening with a spot in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
Ruud beat Cerundolo in last year’s semi-finals en route to the title, but has never played Blockx before.
If Ruud advances to the semis this year, he will meet either Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Jakub Mensik, or Alexander Zverev.
And, of course, the world number one, Jannik Sinner, will likely await him in the final.
