Stefanos Tsitsipas shows respect for Casper Ruud ahead of Toronto clash

World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas has praised rising Norwegian Casper Ruud forward of their conflict on the Toronto Masters. Tsitsipas noticed off Karen Khachanov 6-3 6-2 within the Toronto Masters round-of-16 to achieve the quarterfinal. Ruud just lately gained three titles in as many weeks as he gained all of it in Bastad, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel.

“Casper is a participant that has been creating excellent just lately. He had a tremendous clay-court season,” Tsitsipas mentioned. “He is somebody that serves very properly, has an excellent serve-and-first-ball sample that works very well for him.

I feel he is in all probability among the finest gamers on the market to have the serve and first ball contained in the three first photographs that he hits. “It is positively one thing that I’ll have to concentrate to, and apply extra strain in the direction of that.”

Tsitsipas trying ahead to clashing Ruud

Ruud has gained 14 consecutive matches and Tsitsipas is hoping to finish his streak. [I am] trying ahead to that battle,” Tsitsipas mentioned. “We’ve performed one another previously.

Not a straightforward man to play in opposition to. On the lookout for a change, on the lookout for a switch-up this time.” Ruud has heard these doubting him. “I’ve seen lots of people questioning my means to play on laborious court docket, so I simply thought it was humorous to jot down slightly observe,” Ruud mentioned in his post-match press convention.

“I feel it is enjoyable to play on laborious courts. Regardless that I (have achieved) most of my greatest outcomes on clay, my greatest slam result’s from this 12 months’s Australian Open (the place he reached the Spherical of 16), so I feel it is a floor that can also swimsuit my sport properly though this 12 months has been primarily clay.

“I feel I am motivated to come back again to the laborious courts. I’ve had two excellent matches right here. It is an awesome begin for me to the hard-court swing”.