“One of the craziest matches I’ve played”

With his back against the wall, Casper Ruud successfully retained his Gonet Geneva Open title Saturday, overcoming Portugal’s Joao Sousa 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(1) to capture his eighth ATP Tour trophy.  

The Norweigan, who participated in Kungens Kanna ten years ago, secured victory in a dramatic final on his fourth match point after three hours and one minute. It was the first ATP Tour final of the season to go to a third-set tie-break, with Ruud’s win the longest championship match of the season in both time and games (36).

– It was one of the craziest matches that I have ever played. It was a lot of up and down. Sousa was close to winning and then suddenly everything turns around and this is tennis. It is always tough for the player who is not winning, Ruud said in his on-court interview.

Ruud has now won six of the past seven ATP 250 clay-court events he has played, with his one defeat coming against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in Munich in April.