By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, October 13, 2025Photo credit score: Matthew Calvis
The unrelenting calls for of the professional circuit could make the ATP calendar really feel like “a rat race” says Casper Ruud.
Going ahead, Ruud plans to streamline his schedule to make the season extra manageable.
In an unique interview with Nicholas Albek of Bolavip in Stockholm immediately, Ruud reiterated his assertion on the punishing ATP schedule—and the way he plans to navigate it. Learn your complete Ruud Bolavip interview right here.
Former world No. 2 Ruud mentioned he agrees with feedback Novak Djokovic made in Shanghai final week: The season is just too lengthy.
“After all, Novak has some extent. He has extra expertise than some other participant,” Ruud instructed Nicholas Albek of Bolavip. “Certain, you may choose and select in a manner, as a result of we aren’t employed by the ATP; we’re bosses of our personal schedule.
“What I criticized and talked about on the French Open was that there’s an financial motivation to play and never skip any Masters 1000s with the bonus and the whole lot.
“However yeah, certain, if you’re within the high 10, high 15, you make some huge cash, however you additionally spend some huge cash with all of the bills that you’ve got, so that you don’t need to miss out on any cash should you don’t must.
“I do know that if you’re not wholesome or not eligible to play, you received’t be put in jail should you don’t play, however there’s additionally an financial incentive to play, and a few folks care extra about it than others. However I feel the season is lengthy.”
Requested in regards to the extension of ATP Masters 1000 tournaments this season, Djokovic mentioned he’s at all times been in opposition to it.
“I felt from the very starting I used to be in opposition to it. Really, even after I was within the council, I feel I used to be on the time president of the council, so I used to be not supportive of that,” Djokovic mentioned final week on the Rolex Shanghai Masters. “I feel for the gamers it’s not good.
“From one perspective you may say, I imply, for me at my age proper now, to have the times between the tournaments is sweet. However I feel general for many of the gamers it simply takes away the times within the schedule, within the calendar. Personally, I’m not supportive of that.
“I perceive that there’s upside to the tournaments and so forth, however as a participant I by no means appreciated that. So I do empathize or sympathize with gamers who’re in opposition to that, as a result of now they’re realizing, I suppose, that it’s probably not nice.”
The 26-year-old Ruud, seeded second in Stockholm, mentioned he plans to trim his schedule and take up the monetary hit in an effort to protect his well being.
“To have a compulsory occasion like Paris that late within the season makes the season actually, actually lengthy,” Ruud mentioned. “It’s the identical for everybody, however going ahead I’ll plan the schedule a bit otherwise, possibly skipping a couple of occasions right here and there.”
“I had a really hectic 3 to 4 years since I reached the highest 10. I performed a whole lot of occasions, and I performed some exhibitions within the preseason, so these are some selections that I’ve made, which I look again on and assume I shouldn’t have completed. For the long run, that’s one thing I’ll think about.”
It’s a problem Ruud has contemplated previously. Following his French Open second-round exit, Ruud shared he had been competing with a knee damage largely due to the ranking-point strain and monetary affect.
“It’s form of like a rat race in the case of the rankings, as nicely. You’re feeling you’re obligated to play with sure guidelines that the ATP have arrange with the obligatory occasions,” Ruud mentioned at Roland Garros earlier this season. “You’re feeling such as you lose loads should you don’t present up and play, each economically, point-wise, ranking-wise and opportunity-wise.
“For me I do know these weeks and months are actually necessary for the remaining of the 12 months and for my profession. After all, if my leg is damaged, I received’t play.
“But it surely’s powerful in any case, particularly when there’s a time with obligatory occasions to skip them as a result of the punishments are fairly onerous, by way of everybody else will play, achieve factors, and also you received’t.”
Ruud, who suffered second spherical defeats on the Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open this season, retired from his Rolex Shanghai Masters opener within the third set in opposition to Zizou Bergs. Ruud goals to bounce again in Stockholm the place he reached the quarterfinals final 12 months.
