Ruud, self-critical and straightforward about the calendar: "I have made bad decisions"

Carlos Navarro | 14 Oct 2025 | 11.00

Casper Ruud spoke about the calendar and admitted his past mistakes. Source: Getty.

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Casper Ruud faces the final stretch of the 2025 season clinging to a thin hope: that of securing a spot in the ATP Finals. There are still fleeting chances to achieve it, but they rely on the Norwegian maximizing each tournament and, consequently, having almost no rest until reaching Turin.

A particular crossroads where Casper Ruud has embraced a very clear mindset: all or nothing. This is how he defines the approach with which he confronts the indoor hard court swing, the final stage of a very long year where he has faced injury issues for the first time in a long while. With the 2025 ATP Stockholm as a backdrop, the Norwegian reflected extensively on past mistakes that have led to physical problems this season, and once again shared insightful thoughts on organizing your calendar in a sport that offers less and less respite.

"Having a mandatory event like Paris scheduled so late makes the season very, very long. It's the same for everyone, but from now on, I will organize my calendar somewhat differently, perhaps skipping some tournaments. I've had three or four years without a break since reaching the top 10. I've played many tournaments, some exhibitions in the preseason, and those are decisions I've made that, in hindsight, I believe I shouldn't have made. Looking ahead, it's something I pay close attention to," he candidly pointed out in a conversation with Bolavip.

He isn't the only player engaging in discussions about the calendar: in Shanghai, it was Novak Djokovic who called for more unity among players to create real change, words that Casper endorsed. "What Novak says makes absolute sense. He has more experience than any other player. What I talked about at Roland Garros was that there is a financial incentive to play and not skip the Masters 1000 tournaments, with bonuses and all that. If you're in the top 15 and have many expenses, you don't want to miss any opportunity to earn money. I know that if you're not healthy, no one will send you to jail for skipping a Masters 1000, but that financial incentive is there, and some care more than others. Anyway, the season is very long," he bluntly stated.

A new and renewed mindset to play in Turin

It has been a somewhat unusual season for the Norwegian: he lost the consistency and regularity he always showcased, faced uncommon physical issues, and at the same time, achieved the biggest success of his career in Madrid, his first Masters 1000. Overall assessment then? Casper is clear: he is far from satisfied.

"It's been a season of ups and downs. It's the first time I've been out for several weeks due to a physical issue, in this case with my knee. It was a memorable season because of the title in Madrid, but I can't sit here and be satisfied if we talk in general terms. There were too many early defeats in tournaments. Still, it was memorable because I won the most important title of my career and played at a very high level at that time."

The ultimate goal for 2025, after seemingly overcoming the specter of injuries, is a Masters tournament that he is quite far from, but for which he has adopted a rather bold approach. "I'm going to try to play very well these three weeks, and we'll see what happens after Madrid. The season isn't over yet. If you finish 11th or 15th... what's the difference? None, in my opinion. Thus, at this point, this is all or nothing. I'm going to try to use it as motivation and give it a final push." First stop, a Stockholm tournament where he will debut in the next few days.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Ruud, autocrítico y contundente sobre el calendario: "He tomado malas decisiones"

Casper Ruud