‘It’s been a long summer’ – Casper Ruud runs out of juice in Japan

Casper Ruud acknowledged he may have pushed his body too far after exiting in the first round of the Japan Open. 

The US Open finalist was seeded first at the ATP 500 event in Tokyo but lost to world number 58 Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-3 in a tired display.

Ruud was competing in his fourth different event since New York after playing the Davis Cup and Laver Cup last month before the Korea Open last week.

“I might have pushed a little too much and tried to go for too many tournaments and too many matches in a row but I really wanted to come to Asia and play these tournaments,” the world number three said. “Today I wasn’t able to bring my best level but it’s an experience and a situation I will try to learn from.”

“It’s been a long summer. I’ve been playing non-stop and I think my body felt it a little bit today. It was tough to get the machinery going.”

The loss for Ruud was not the only ATP upset of the day. The simultaneous ATP 500 Astana Open also saw its top seed ousted as Carlos Alcaraz lost in the first round there.

On the other side of the net the result was a big one for 25-year-old Munar.

“I think it’s one of the best [wins of my career],” he said after the victory. “Casper is a great player. We all know that maybe this is not his best surface, not even mine. But I managed to play the tennis I needed to play today.

“I think it wasn’t a great match but from my side I did what I needed to do. Very happy to be through. Casper is one of the best players in the world right now.”

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