Ruud holds every service game against Struff and will seek revenge against Borges

Norway’s Casper Ruud did not face a break point on Thursday as he beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour 4 minutes to reach the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters 1000. In the quarter-finals, Ruud will face lucky loser Nuno Borges, who beat Ignacio Buse 6-0, 6-2 to reach the last eight.

It is his second quarter-final at this event, after 2021. It takes him back into the Top 20, from No. 22 to No. 19 in the ATP rankings.

How Ruud beat Struff

Ruud dominated the match with his own weapons… and with Struff’s! He held all nine of his service games and won 81% of points on his first serve (29/36), against 59% for Struff. He struck eight aces and made only seven unforced errors, while Struff made 12.

Ruud broke at 3-2 up, on his second break point, to lead 4-2, and kept that advantage until 6-3. He sealed the match with the third break of the match, converting his first match point with Struff serving at 3-5.

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Ruud faces Borges next in Paris

Ruud began his week at the Rolex Paris Masters with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, before beating Spain’s Rafael Jodar 6-3, 6-4. He and Borges have split their four meetings on tour. Borges won the most recent one 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the last 16 in Basel in October. This quarter-final gives Ruud the chance to turn the tables.

Struff, 36, missed the chance to become the second-oldest quarter-finalist in the history of the event. The German had arrived in Paris after reaching the final in Brussels, where Tallon Griekspoor beat him 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and the semi-finals in Basel. This week he had beaten France’s Arthur Gea 7-6 (3), 6-3 and Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Rolex Paris Masters 2026 third-round results

Luca Van Assche d. Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
Rinky Hijikata (Q) d. Tomas Martin Etcheverry 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
Ben Shelton (3) d. Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Tommy Paul (12) d. Quentin Halys 7-6 (3), 6-4
Casper Ruud d. Jan-Lennard Struff (SE) 6-3, 6-3
Nuno Borges (LL) d. Ignacio Buse 6-0, 6-2
Taylor Fritz (11) d. Arthur Fils (6) 6-3, 6-4
Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Matteo Berrettini w/o

Rolex Paris Masters 2026 quarter-finals

Friday, November 6, Court Central (full order of play)
2 p.m.: Ben Shelton (3) vs Tommy Paul (12)
Followed by: Luca Van Assche vs Rinky Hijikata (Q)
Not before 7 p.m.: Carlos Alcaraz (2) vs Taylor Fritz (11)
Not before 8:30 p.m.: Nuno Borges (LL) vs Casper Ruud