Stefanos Tsitsipas continues his Madrid Open run against Casper Ruud, a player he knows very well.
Tsitsipas has plummeted the ATP rankings in recent times, with the former world number three now all the way down in 80th place.
But he has managed to find his feet at the Madrid Open, where the two-time Grand Slam finalist is now into the round of 16.
Tsitsipas has beaten Patrick Kypson, Alexander Bublik and Daniel Merida Aguilar at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where he meets world number 15 Ruud.
And intriguingly, he has sent a throwback message to his upcoming opponent on social media just before their encounter.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas messages Casper Ruud before Madrid Open clash
Tsitsipas shared a photograph of himself and Ruud on the court as youngsters on X, writing the message: “Me and my opponent in Madrid tomorrow – standing across the net some 17 years ago!
“What a ride [Casper Ruud].”
He was also asked who else was in the image, to which he responded: “Alexei Popyrin and Christian Linge.”
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Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Casper Ruud H2H on the ATP Tour
The exciting journey for both players now continues in the Spanish capital, where Tsitsipas and Ruud will meet for the sixth time.
And it is the Norwegian who heads into the match with a slight advantage, having won three of their five matches so far.
Notably, their last two meetings have arrived in finals, both in 2024, with Tsitsipas winning in Monte Carlo before Ruud exacted revenge in Barcelona.
| Year | Winner | Tournament | Round | Surface | Score |
| 2024 | Casper Ruud | Barcelona | Final | Outdoor Clay | 75 63 |
| 2024 | Stefanos Tsitsipas | ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo | Final | Outdoor Clay | 61 64 |
| 2024 | Casper Ruud | Los Cabos | Semifinal | Outdoor Hard | 64 76(4) |
| 2021 | Stefanos Tsitsipas | ATP Masters 1000 Canada | Quarterfinal | Outdoor Hard | 61 64 |
| 2021 | Casper Ruud | ATP Masters 1000 Madrid | Round of 16 | Outdoor Clay | 76(4) 64 |
A quarterfinal spot is now up for grabs at the Madrid Open, where either Francisco Cerundolo or Alexander Blockx await.
Ruud has been playing the role of the villain at the event, having knocked out Spanish duo Jaume Munar and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
He is the 12th seed in Madrid, where he is seeking a 15th career title, with his old rival Tsitsipas chasing a 13th.
The Greek icon is also into the round of 16 in the doubles format alongside Luciano Darderi, with the duo having just knocked out Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo.
They’ll now take on Manuel Guinard and Guido Andreozzi, but only after Tsitsipas attempts singles success against Ruud.
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