Twelve months after advancing to the Monte Carlo final and winning his first ATP 500 trophy in Barcelona, Ruud went 3-2 in his return to those tour stops. It’s human nature to go through periods where head and heart aren’t on the same page. While Casper the tennis player was eager to test his boundaries, Casper the person wasn’t in sync with that ambition.
“I’ve been kind of feeling not great mentally this year,” Ruud revealed to press on Thursday.
“It just came down to me feeling like I’m running in this hamster wheel and I’m never kind of getting anywhere, or you’re just stuck in it and I needed to kind of jump out of it a little to review where I was going and how I was feeling.”
The 26-year-old came to terms that life on the road had taken its toll. Recognizing he needed help, Ruud noted he now has an outlet to discuss what’s going on.
“I’ve seeked help, which has really worked for me,” he said.
In having—and trusting—that resource, a more familiar-looking Casper has resurfaced at the Mutua Madrid Open.
