“A good warm-up before Monte-Carlo” : Ruud tests his form in Nimes
The Norwegian will face Alexander Bublik for a spot in the Nîmes final, potentially his second in a row.
Casper Ruud – Bastide UTS Nîmes 2026 © UTS
At 1:30 PM this Friday, Casper Ruud kicked things off in a particularly windy Arènes de Nîmes. The Norwegian began his campaign against an UTS newcomer, Russia’s Karen Khachanov, to defend the title he won last year. Despite losing the first quarter, Ruud ultimately prevailed 3-1 to reach the final four in Nîmes.
“It’s another full arena today with beautiful conditions and weather. It feels great. We were here one year ago—time goes fast—so I have good memories”, Ruud said happily after the match.
The former world number two is already looking beyond this single matchup. He is using this tournament as preparation for the major upcoming events, notably the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 starting this Monday (where he will face Alexei Popyrin in the first round).
“That’s why I’m here: to get a few matches, get the feeling of playing competitively, and play a few games on clay before Monte Carlo. It’s important for me,” he told journalists, insisting on the point after his victory.
I haven’t talked to Rafa in a while
Casper Ruud’s clay-court season will be highlighted by the defense of his title in Madrid—currently his one and only Masters 1000 trophy. Perhaps an opportunity to seek advice from his idol, Rafael Nadal? “I haven’t talked to Rafa in a while; he’s busy with his own things. But hopefully I will see him during this clay season very soon.”
His preparation continues this Saturday against Alexander Bublik, an opponent he has fared particularly well against, leading their head-to-head 7-1. However, he will need to remain cautious given the unique conditions inside the Nîmes Arena.
