World no. 3 Casper Ruud has announced that he will be taking a break after the 2023 Australian Open.
The Norwegian player has had a packed off-season, attending an exhibition tour with Rafael Nadal in South America, and as a result, has had little time to properly prepare for the 2023 season. Ruud has had a successful career so far, reaching a career-high ranking of world no. 2 in September of 2022.
"A normal calendar year in tennis, if you play a tournament every month, then the season lasts for 10 and a half months. It's not really healthy for the body at all. There are no major tournaments in February, and I will therefore use the time to train my physique and actually use that month as a kind of 'pre-season', which I would normally have in December," Ruud said in a talk with Eurosport.
The 2023 Australian Open will be held from January 16th to January 29th, and Ruud will be looking to continue his success at the tournament. After the Australian Open, Ruud will take some time off before returning to the tour to compete again.
Ruud's decision to take a break after the Australian Open is a wise one, as it will allow him to rest and recover before diving back into the grueling schedule of the ATP Tour. It will also give him time to work on any areas of his game that may need improvement and come back stronger for the rest of the season.
"A lot happened in December, including the trip to South America with Nadal. I have tried to keep it going, and I thought that the Australian Open 2023 will be the last tournament before I take a small tournament break."
"When I make the change I'm making now, the season will be shortened to eight and a half months. That's long enough too. It will be exciting to see if it goes well, but it is at least worth a try," he said.
Fans of Ruud will have to wait a little longer to see him back on the court, but it's clear that the young player is committed to taking care of himself and ensuring that he is in the best possible shape for the rest of the season.
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