In the world of tennis, certain matches have an everlasting impact on players, persisting in their minds even years later. For Casper Ruud, one particular encounter against Roger Federer is etched in his memory. In 2019, a flourishing talent and long-time admirer of Rafael Nadal faced the Swiss Maestro on the famed Suzanne Lenglen Court in Roland Garros. The Norwegian athlete recently discussed his initial visit to the iconic court, an experience that included a hard-fought defeat at the hands of Federer.

Although, that day, the young tennis ace had found himself completely outmatched, he has no regrets about losing to the Swiss Maestro.

Casper Ruud reminisces about his match with Roger Federer in a recent interview

Roger Federer had beaten Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (8) in the 2019 third round match. The intense match had revealed the true power of the Swiss Maestro. Amidst the anguish of a heavy defeat, Rudd’s love of the game and of another legendary player, Rafael Nadal, was only solidified. In his post-match interview at the French Open, he expressed his sadness at Federer’s retirement.

The young tennis ace wishes that Federer enjoys his time away from the competitive game.

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Renowned tennis journalist Bastian Fachan tweeted about Ruud reminiscing about the 2019 encounter. The tweet read, “Casper Ruud: ‘It’s great playing here on this historic court [Suzanne-Lenglen] – first time I played there was against Roger some years ago and I got my ass kicked.😓. “

Ruud’s memory of his first face-off against Federer will remain with him for the rest of his career. Although he lost the match, the defeat further strengthened his admiration for Federer and his fandom of Rafael Nadal.

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Ruud, seeded fourth in the ongoing tournament, comfortably advanced to the second round. He had a dominant 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer. This victory marks the beginning of Ruud’s campaign to reach the final at Roland Garros for the second consecutive year.

Ruud once shared what it felt to face Federer in a match

In 2020, Ruud opened up about his state of mind the night before facing Federer. He had expressed his extreme nervousness and inability to sleep before the match. Reflecting on the experience, the Norwegian player had acknowledged the immense pressure he felt when competing against the Swiss Maestro.

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Rudd also had to contend with the support of Federer’s large fan base in the stands. Despite the loss, Ruud expressed satisfaction at the opportunity to compete against Federer.