Shevchenko recovers from a set down to oust Ruud and face Tirante in Stockholm
Kazakhstan’s Aleksandr Shevchenko, a qualifier ranked No. 107, beat second seed and defending champion Casper Ruud 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the last 16 of the Stockholm Open on Wednesday. The 25-year-old became the first player representing Kazakhstan to reach the quarter-finals in Stockholm, on the day Ernests Gulbis was reported to have become his coach.
Casper Ruud, 2025 | Emil Boccognano / Scrine
Kazakhstan’s Aleksandr Shevchenko, a qualifier ranked No. 107, beat second seed and defending champion Casper Ruud 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the last 16 of the Stockholm Open on Wednesday.
Shevchenko and Tirante, his next opponent, have never met on tour.
It was the 25-year-old’s 11th ATP Tour quarter-final and his third of the season, after Adelaide and Gstaad. His only win over a top-50 player this season before Wednesday had come against Ben Shelton, then ranked No. 9, at the Miami Masters 1000.
Ruud had won both of their previous meetings, at Bastad in 2023 and at Indian Wells in 2026.
Shevchenko opened his week in qualifying, beating Norway’s Viktor Durasovic 6-1, 6-1 and Britain’s Jacob Fearnley 6-2, 6-4. He then beat France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-3 in 1 hour 10 minutes in the first round.
Former player Ernests Gulbis was reported on Wednesday to have become his coach, news that emerged as Gulbis watched a match in Stockholm.
Shevchenko, whose career-high ranking is No. 45 from February 2024, reached his only ATP Tour final in Metz in 2023, losing to Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-3. Fourth seed Alejandro Tabilo is the highest seed still alive in the neighbouring section of the draw, ahead of a possible semi-final.
Bybit Stockholm Open 2026 second-round results
Taylor Fritz (1) d. Cameron Norrie 7-5, 6-3
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Holger Rune
Lorenzo Musetti (3) d. Toby Samuel (Q) 6-1, 6-4
Ugo Humbert (7) d. Borna Gojo (Q) 6-2, 6-4
Alex Michelsen (6) d. Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3, 6-2
Alejandro Tabilo (4) d. Lorenzo Sonego (Q) 7-6 (2), 6-7 (7), 7-5
Thiago Agustin Tirante d. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (5) w/o
Aleksandr Shevchenko (Q) d. Casper Ruud (2) 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3
In bold: today’s results.
