Casper Ruud will face Holger Rune at the 2024 Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Oslo, and he's really looking forward to that match.
Ruud and Rune have some history as they battled in a very heated clash at Roland Garros a few years ago. Both are among the best players in the world, so there is just a lot of competitive fire burning in both of them.
It's a relationship that started on a rocky note, but since then, they've mostly found common language, though that obviously dies down once they're on the tennis court.
We'll see it again at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Oslo over the weekend. The Norwegian looked forward to the match, especially since it was going to be in his backyard in Oslo, where he rarely gets a chance to play.
"I played him many times when he was really young, like the first year he started getting some wild cards in the tour. So, coincidentally, we played each other many times that year, and I was winning those matches. Last year, we played each other twice. He won one, and I won one."
"So, you know, we had some really tough battles last year and it was 1-1. This year we’re playing again at here at home in Oslo, so it’s going to be really fun – the Battle of the North. I’m excited for it. I’m going to try to do my best, and hopefully come out on top and win against him."
Ruud is Norway's best player ever, which isn't the case for Rune. He'll have to work a bit more for that honor, but it's clear that both of them are the best players from that part of the world.
This matchup and their rivalry could inspire a new generation of players from Scandinavia, a region that has already had many great champions.
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