'Not Fun to Be in That Period': Ruud Gives Honest Assessment About Dip in Form

| by Alex Waite

Casper Ruud has had a 2023 season of ups and downs and gave a sincere review of his patchy campaign after an early US Open exit.

Ruud made the 2022 US Open final and eventually lost against world number one Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. However, the Norwegian was unable to replicate his form from last season as he crashed out in the second round at Flushing Meadows following a defeat across five sets against world number 67 Zhang Zhizhen.

The 24-year-old showed signs of visible frustration during his US Open stint by swearing at the umpire in the second-round loss and criticising journalists and commentators earlier in the competition. When reflecting on his long-term form over 2023, Ruud believes a strong 2022 of two Grand Slam finals was perhaps a peak too early in his career.

"It hasn't been what I hoped. But I was pretty honest I think after last year that I have to prepare for a tough year because things last year went kind of beyond my expectations for myself. Starting the year at world No. 3, I didn't think that was going to be realistic when we started, let's say, 2022."

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"I kind of prepared and talked pretty openly about I'm expecting at some point there will be some kind of down period or will be a year or months where I don't get it right. That's part of the sport, I guess. It's not fun to be in that period."

Ultimately, Ruud will be glad to put his under-par American showing behind him following an early exit at the Cincinnati Masters and a round-of-16 elimination in Canada. However, the world number five vowed to take a step back from tennis in the coming weeks in a bid to recover and re-focus on the final push of the season in Asia.

"It's going to be a hectic fall. I need to be ready mentally, physically. I think last year I played so much, US Open final, I went straight to Davis Cup, straight to Laver Cup, then straight to Asia, that I was just really tired in Asia. That's not going to be the case this year. I'm going to get some time home, rest, work on my game, yeah, be fit and strong hopefully for Asia."

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