By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday June 4, 2024
Paris – Casper Ruud is aware of an incredible deal concerning the character and talents of Novak Djokovic, and due to that the Norwegian won’t ever underestimate the restoration powers of his quarterfinal opponent.
The 2-time Roland-Garros finalist says he is not going to overthink Djokovic’s present harm standing, or the truth that the 24-time main champion has wanted over 9 hours to get via his final two rounds in Paris after they meet within the quarterfinals in what will likely be a rematch of final yr’s remaining in Paris.
“I do not anticipate him to give up in any respect. I’ve to anticipate him to be contemporary, prepared and that it is going to be a troublesome match,” Ruud mentioned on Monday after taking out American Taylor Fritz in 4 units.
“I am simply going to anticipate him to be contemporary, prepared in two days. Not suppose an excessive amount of if he performed 9 hours, 12 hours, or 4 hours within the final couple of days. You realize, Novak is Novak. He will be prepared it doesn’t matter what, or a minimum of he will do his greatest to be prepared. Sometimes he does it very well.”
Ruud says he’ll attempt to use the present scenario to spice up his perception, nonetheless.
“I will attempt to suppose that I am 25; he is 37. Possibly doesn’t suggest an excessive amount of as a result of he is nonetheless in bodily nice form, however he is performed a couple of hours greater than me on the way in which right here, and hopefully my matches main as much as it has not been so long as his and I’ll attempt if there may be any chance to benefit from that.”
Novak Second Greatest Clay Courter of All-Time?
Ruud says that Djokovic’s clay-court prowess can’t be underestimated.
“You possibly can positively argue that he is the second-best clay courtroom participant of all time,” he mentioned. “I imply, clearly Borg has extra titles right here than him, however Novak was at all times shut, he at all times just about reached the ultimate and ended up shedding to Rafa. And I misplaced to him final yr within the remaining.”
The seventh-seeded Norwegian, who leads all ATP gamers in wins on clay because the begin of 2020, says that Djokovic has all of the instruments to make a well-rounded, unstoppable clay-court participant.
“I feel that he reads the sport unbelievably nicely. He is aware of methods to use a dropshot nicely. Clearly he strikes nice. So it is powerful to hit winners on him.”
And don’t underestimate the Serbian’s physicality, stamina and sturdiness, Ruud says.
“Bodily he is there. He is robust. He by no means breaks down in a method. You are feeling generally that he’ll, however he by no means does. I feel he is proven that the final two matches taking part in over 4 hours and searching form of down and out however coming again.
“I did not see a lot of what occurred at present, however I heard that he was down and even down a break within the fourth and got here again from there. So he rises to the problem each time he must.
I imply, he has all of the pictures. I imply, he does not play as heavy possibly as Rafa and the intense topspin, however he does not must. He has different qualities which are virtually simply nearly as good.”