Casper Ruud tames Marin Cilic to finalize AO fourth round lineup
Casper Ruud edged out Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 on Saturday. He’ll play American Ben Shelton, the No 8 seed, in the next round
Casper Ruud, 2026 | © Photosport / PsNewz
Casper Ruud set a personal record with 25 aces to overcome former finalist Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 on Saturday night, securing his first Australian Open second-week appearance since 2021 and finalizing the 2026 Round of 16. The 2026 Australian Open men’s singles bracket is now set in stone.
Following Casper Ruud’s late-night victory over Marin Cilic, the full Round of 16 lineup has been confirmed:
- Alcaraz (1) vs. Paul (19)
- Bublik (10) vs. De Minaur (6)
- Zverev (3) vs. Cerundolo (18)
- Medvedev (11) vs. Tien (25)
- Musetti (5) vs. Fritz (9)
- Djokovic (4) vs. Mensik (16)
- Shelton (8) vs. Ruud (12)
- Sinner (2) vs. Darderi (22)
In the final match of the third round, Norwegian No 12 seed Casper Ruud delivered a performance of unexpected service dominance to defeat Croatian veteran and 2018 finalist Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. The victory marks a significant resurgence for the 27-year-old world No 13, who had not reached the second week in Melbourne for five years. Ruud’s progression caps off a week of high-intensity tennis, setting up a tantalizing fourth-round clash with big-serving American Ben Shelton.
The Norwegian “Servebot” finds his hard-court rhythm
The headline story of the 3-hour and 4-minute encounter was Ruud’s transformation on the service line. Known as a clay-court specialist with heavy topspin, the former world No 2 shattered his personal record by firing 25 aces past the 37-year-old Cilic. Facing the 2014 US Open champion, Ruud looked arguably the sharpest he has been on hard courts in a long time.
After racing to a two-set lead, he fended off a vintage comeback attempt from the No 70-ranked Croat, who had already upset Denis Shapovalov and Daniel Altmaier earlier in the week. “I’m becoming a servebot!” Ruud joked during his on-court interview.
The win marks Ruud’s seventh career Grand Slam second week and his first since the 2024 US Open. His path to this stage has been clinical, featuring straight-set victories over Jaume Munar and Mattia Bellucci before being tested by the veteran experience of Cilic, impressive in the previous round against Denis Shapovalov.
A race against the clock: Tennis vs Fatherhood
Beyond the tactical masterclass, the emotional weight of Ruud’s victory was centered on his life back in Norway. His fiancée, Maria, is currently heavily pregnant and due to give birth immediately following the tournament. Ruud admitted the situation was on his mind as the match tightened in the fourth set.
“Yeah I hope I don’t stress her too much tonight even though I was pretty stressed myself. I can’t really control how the matches go. Hopefully she stays in there and in a few days I’ll get to see her. Whenever I’m done here or if I get a call I’m gonna be on the way back home. Huge thank you to Maria. She’s back home, patient, and letting me be here. If she’s watching I just want to let her know I’ll be home soon.”
As Casper Ruud prepares to face the No 8 seed Ben Shelton, he does so with the confidence of a player who has finally found his rhythm on the Australian hard courts.
