Ruud wins first Masters title after Madrid triumph

Madrid

Casper Ruud won his first-ever Masters 1000 title by beating Jack Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the Madrid Open final. The Norwegian had lost two previous Masters finals—Miami in 2022 and Monte Carlo in 2024—but finally claimed victory after a two-hour and 29-minute battle. Ruud, known for his dominance on clay, now has 125 wins, 17 finals, and 12 titles on the surface since 2020—more than any other player. Despite recent struggles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, where he exited early, Ruud bounced back strongly to secure his 13th ATP Tour title.

This win makes Ruud the first Norwegian ever to win a Masters 1000 title. Along the way, he defeated three top-10 players: World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, No. 10 Daniil Medvedev, and No. 6 Draper. Speaking after the match, Ruud said, It feels great… This was one of the really big goals I dreamed about when I was young. He praised Draper’s strong performance throughout the tournament, calling him an incredible player on any surface. Draper, who has had a strong year, finishes the Madrid Open with a 19-5 season record. Despite the loss, he will rise to a career-high World No. 5 in the ATP Rankings on Monday. This victory provides a big confidence boost for Ruud ahead of the upcoming clay season. He hopes to carry this momentum into future tournaments, especially with the French Open approaching.