Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo will take place in the quarter-final of the 2023 Italian Open on May 17.
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Casper Ruud and Francisco Cerundolo’s upcoming match will provide an opportunity for a rematch of their round-of-16 clash at ATP Barcelona last month. In their previous meeting, Ruud took a commanding 5-2 lead in the first set. Cerundolo, on the other hand, showed tenacity and turned the tide in his favour, eventually winning in straight sets. This result dealt another blow to Ruud’s difficult 2023 season, highlighting the ongoing difficulties he has faced on the court. Casper Ruud was fortunate to have a favourable draw at the Rome Masters, and he took advantage of it by reaching the quarterfinals. Given his lacklustre performance throughout the 2023 season, this accomplishment is significant. In the other match, he defeated two outside top-50 opponents, Arthur Rinderknech and Laslo Djere, and edged world #49 Alexander Bublik in three sets.
With the exception of a somewhat unconvincing title-winning campaign in Estoril, the 2022 US Open runner-up has faced numerous disappointments this year. Notably, his recent quarterfinal appearance in Rome is only the second time in 2023 that he has won consecutive matches, and it is the first time he has done so in tournaments above the ATP 250 level.
Francisco Cerundolo has demonstrated that he can be a formidable threat even at the highest level of tennis, particularly when his forehand is on fire. This was evident in his recent round-of-16 match against Jannik Sinner, a home crowd favourite, where Cerundolo’s forehand was in full swing during the final two sets, 6-7 6-2 6-2. Notably, he has come back from a set down in all three of his Rome Masters matches so far.
The Argentine youngster, who had not played much main tour tennis prior to 2022, has made significant progress across all surfaces over the last 16 months and climbed as high as #24 in the ATP rankings. He currently has a win-loss record of 5-6 against top-10 players, and this statistic improves on clay, where he has a record of 4-1. His only defeat on clay came in Buenos Aires in 2021, against fellow countryman Diego Schwartzman, when he was primarily competing in lower-level tournaments.
| Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo | Match details |
|---|---|
| Date | May 17, 2023 |
| Surface | Clay |
| Tournament | Italian Open |
| Stage | Quarter-final |
| Time (India) | 10:30 pm |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Laslo Djere | 6-1, 6-3 (W) |
| Alexander Bublik | 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (W) |
| Arthur Rinderknech | 6-4, 6-0 (W) |
| Matteo Arnaldi | 6-3, 6-4 (L) |
| Francisco Cerundolo | 7-6, 6-3 (L) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 (W) |
| Gregoire Barrere | 7-6, 2-6, 2-6 (W) |
| Wu Yibing | 6-4, 2-6, 3-6 (W) |
| Pedro Cachin | 6-1, 7-6 (L) |
| Dan Evans | 6-2, 5-7, 3-6 (L) |
Francisco Cerundolo has a 2-1 lead (2-0 on clay). While Casper Ruud is the more consistent player and has had more success on the main tour thus far, the Argentinian has powerful weapons that can significantly influence a match like this. This is especially true given the Norwegian’s current confidence and form, making the Argentinian’s performance crucial in determining the match’s final outcome.
Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo will take place in the quarter-final of the 2023 Italian Open on May 17.
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