Casper Ruud states what he’s noticed about all the youngsters on the ATP Tour now after big change in tennis in the past five years

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Casper Ruud looks to have rediscovered his form in Madrid, having reached the semi-finals.

The 26-year-old hadn’t enjoyed the best of starts to his 2025 ATP clay season, winning just three matches across the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open tournaments.

Turning up to Madrid with a 3-2 record on clay for the season, Ruud quickly adapted to the tricky conditions, picking up several impressive wins.

Taking down Arthur Rinderknech, Sebastian Korda, and Taylor Fritz in straight sets, the Norwegian eased into the quarterfinals.

Battling it out for a place in the last four, Ruud beat Daniil Medvedev, 6-3, 7-5, securing his first-career win over the Russian star.

Ahead of his semi-final clash with Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, Ruud shared his thoughts on the younger players on the ATP Tour.

Casper Ruud says most young players on the ATP Tour ‘rip the ball from both sides’

During his post-match press conference, Ruud gave his verdict on his younger ATP rivals.

“If you look at the majority of the players who are young, they are good players already these days, they really rip the ball from both sides, there is no holding back,” he said.

“That is great if they are able to put the ball in aggressively. Why not?”

His comments came as part of a wider discussion about the changes he’s noticed in tennis over recent years.

“When it comes to the game itself, I think that I haven’t really thought so much about it, because I am not a guy to think too much about balls, but it is always a big discussion about balls,” said Ruud.

“I talked with a former player the other day, a very experienced player, who said that for me since I came on tour which was early 2000’s my game was working really well, but towards the end of my career it wasn’t working as well, and I really felt like the ball changed during COVID.

“I was talking to him trying to seek advice on certain things, like I feel like the players are handling my heavy shots way better now than when I came on tour which was pre COVID and they are able to step in and rip the damn thing back and I am surprised by how well people do it.

“He responded that he felt exactly the same at the end of his career and he felt it was the ball.

“He said that the balls are easier to go at nowadays, before they were more lively and bouncy. Now they are all the same pressure. So it is good for commercial things, because you probably see more rallies, but I guess the new young generation who came up after COVID are used to it.”

Ruud thinks the game has ‘changed’ as he outlined the issue he often struggles with during his matches.

“I do feel like there has been a change in tempo because even when I play on clay, if I play somewhat of a short shot, before I felt like the opponent is not going to rip the ball back, but these days it’s like I don’t feel I can do one slight mistake or hit one ball a little short, before the opponent goes full power and comes to the net or goes for a winner.

“So it has changed.”

How has Casper Ruud performed against younger players in 2025?

Ruud mentioned he’s struggled with younger players ‘ripping the ball’ against him in 2025, but have things really been that bad?

He suffered one of the biggest shocks of the season in Melbourne, when 19-year-old Jakub Mensik beat Ruud in the second round of the Australian Open.

He fell to defeat against another youngster in Barcelona last month, as Holger Rune beat Ruud on his way to the title.

The Dane produced some of his best tennis as he knocked out his Scandinavian rival in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

Ruud has, however, fared far better against players older than him in 2025, achieving real success at this year’s Dallas Open.

The 26-year-old eventually came up short in the final, losing to Denis Shapovalov in straight sets, a man four months his junior.

Ruud will be hoping his trend of beating players older than him continues into his next match, as he takes on Cerundolo, who will be turning 27 in August.

Ruud and Cerundolo will battle it out for a place in the final of the 2025 Madrid Open on Friday, May 2.