Casper Ruud's Indian Wells Campaign Comes to a Shocking End

| by Zachary Wimer

Casper Ruud's highly anticipated Indian Wells campaign came to a shocking end on Sunday as he fell to Cristian Garin in straight sets.

The third-seeded Norwegian struggles with his form in 2023 after attending an exhibition tour with Rafael Nadal and not preparing well for the new season. He was coming to Indian Wells with only three wins and four losses this season and expectations were high as Ruud needed to start winning.

Garin, who is currently ranked 97th in the world after he also struggled with form recently, was the clear underdog going into the match, but he played with poise and confidence from the start

He hit 39 winners and made just 25 unforced errors, while also winning an impressive 80% of points after his first serve. Ruud, on the other hand, struggled to find his rhythm and was unable to generate any sustained pressure on his opponent.

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"I felt clueless" - Ruud shares challenges against Nadal on clay and Djokovic on hard courts

In the first set, the Chilean was clearly the better player. He hit 17 winners while making only 9 unforced errors and he had also five chances to break his opponent. On the other hand, Ruud had only one and he couldn't use it. After a break in the fifth game, Garin controlled the rest of the set, winning it 6-4.

The second set was much more interesting than the first one. Garin got an early break and he could increase his lead to two breaks in the fifth game. However, Ruud saved the break point and he broke his opponent back in the next game.

Both players than held their respective service games and so the second set had to be decided in a tie-break. Garin started much better, getting the first mini-break in the first rally but soon faced an injury scare.

During one of the rallies, the Chilean felt his muscle and for a second it appeared that an injury may force him out of the match. However, Garin pushed through to win the match 6-4, 7-6(2) and advance to the fourth round in Indian Wells.

The result was a stunning upset that sent shockwaves through the Indian Wells crowd. Despite his poor form, Ruud had been one of the favorites to win the tournament, and his early exit is shocking, as he joins Stefanos Tsitsipas among the surprising exits.

For Garin, the win is a major confidence boost as he looks to build on his impressive start to the year after struggling in 2022 and losing more matches than winning. He has already won five consecutive matches in Indian Wells without losing a set as he had to go through qualifying, and he will now be a player to watch in the later rounds of the Indian Wells tournament.

2023 BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells ATP & WTA Prize Money & Points Overview - $8,800,000
2023 BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells ATP & WTA Prize Money & Points Overview - $8,800,000

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