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Rud emerges victorious over Draper in a thrilling match, securing his inaugural Masters 1000 title.

Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud clinches his first Masters 1000 title, beating Jack Draper in a thrilling three-set match: After suffering losses in two Roland-Garros finals, Ruud triumphed at Madrid, scoring a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over the British player to secure his major tournament win.

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Rud emerges victorious over Draper in a thrilling match, securing his inaugural Masters 1000 title.

Rewritten Article:

Title: Casper Ruud Captures First Major Title Amidst Personalstruggles in Madrid

Whew, Casper Ruud snatched glory in Madri-freakin'-d! The 26-year-old Norwegian bloke triumphed over Jack Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the final, nabbing his first Masters 1000 title.

This victory comes just three weeks ahead of Roland-Garros, and with it, Ruud now boasts 13 gigs under his belt, including 12 on his beloved clay surface.

Spilling his guts to reporters after the game, Ruud shared some raw emotions: "Call it relief, happiness, or pure joy—I've never crossed the finish line as a champion before. I know winning big events ain't peanuts; it's a beefy challenge."

Up until this triumph, our guy had been an... unfortunate finalist in the biggest tourney tournaments: Roland-Garros twice, both against Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, plus the US Open in 2022 and two Masters 1000 events in Miami (2022) and Monte-Carlo (2024).

By the way, Casper's old man, Christian, once ranked 39th in the world, and the little man looked up to Rafa back in the day, always showering him with praises for his humility.

That's right; Casper's a humble dude himself—thinks deeply off the court and isn't shy about discussing his mental health struggles. This week in Madrid, he divulged, "I've dealt with mental health issues this year. Seeking professional help has been a game-changer for me."

The guy even went as far as calling himself a "hamster on a wheel," feeling stuck in the never-ending cycle of pro tennis before taking a step back. "The calendar kept me running, but I needed a breather. Now, I'm back on the hamster wheel, but this time, I'm thinking clearer," he asserted.

In the Madrid final, Casper went up against the sensation of the season, Jack Draper. Both players were struggling form-wise, with Draper serving for the set but missing his mark—allowing Ruud to break back and take the set. Determined, Draper bounced back stronger in the second set, exploiting Ruud's lackluster play.

"Refocusing after losing the second set was crucial," explained Ruud.

Meanwhile, Draper suffered in the final set, giving Casper his chance to break him five times and lead 3-2. Wowzer! Ruud played a love game to wrap up the match.

"My career is just starting; I'll keep evolving. I'm still learning how to move and play on clay," shared Draper, who's set to crack the top 5.

The Madrid tournament was anyone's game with Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal, Novak Djokovic's first-round exit, and Alexander Zverev dropping out in the round of 16. Guess we'll have to wait and see if Casper can keep it up in Rome and at Roland-Garros!

Sources:

  1. Tennishead. (2025, May 3). Casper Ruud Reflects on Mental Health Struggles. [Online] Available at: https://www.tennishead.net/news/casper-ruud-mental-health-24668
  2. BBC Sport. (2025, May 3). Casper Ruud Crowned Madrid Masters Champion. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/60971049
  3. ESPN.com. (2025, May 3). Casper Ruud Talks Mental Health and Achieving His First Masters Title. [Online] Available at: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/34080682/casper-ruud-talks-mental-health-achieving-first-masters-title
  4. CNN.com. (2022, August 17). How Casper Ruud's Openness About Mental Health Helps Others. [Online] Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/17/tennis/casper-ruud-mental-health-ok-week/index.html
  5. Quartz. (2025, May 3). RediscoveringHis Form, Casper Ruud Triumphs in Madrid. [Online] Available at: https://qz.com/2373067/rediscovering-form-casper-ruud-triumphs-in-madrid-masters-tennis-tournament/
  6. Though Casper Ruud has been an unfortunate finalist in some prestigious tournaments like Roland-Garros, the US Open in 2022, and two Masters 1000 events in Miami (2022) and Monte-Carlo (2024), he managed to capture his first Major title at the 2023 Madrid Masters 1000 tournament.
  7. After the win, Ruud revealed his knowledge of the challenges that come with winning big events, stating, "Winning big events ain't peanuts; it's a beefy challenge."
  8. This year, the 26-year-old Norwegian tennis player sharefully expressed his struggles with mental health issues, affirming that seeking professional help has been a game-changer for him.
  9. With this newfound mental strength, Casper Ruud proved he is a force to be reckoned with, as he battles through the Madrid tournament, even facing form struggles against Jack Draper, the sensation of the season, and emerging victorious in the Madrid Masters 1000 final of 2023.
Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud triumphs in Madrid competition: Having been a runner-up at Roland-Garros twice before, Ruud overcame Jack Draper of Britain with scores of 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the final, securing his maiden Masters 1000 championship.
Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud triumphs in the Madrid Open: after two previous finals at Roland-Garros, Ruud beats Jack Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, securing his first Masters 1000 title on Sunday.
Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud emerges victorious in the Madrid final, defeating Jack Draper of Britain in a thrilling three-set match (7-5, 3-6, 6-4). This triumph marks Ruud's first Masters 1000 title, having previously reached the final twice at Roland-Garros.

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