‘I wanted revenge’ - Casper Ruud eliminates Ben Shelton in Barcelona Open to reach last 16
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Published 18/04/2023 at 14:10 GMT
Casper Ruud got his revenge on Ben Shelton at the 2023 Barcelona Open on Tuesday. The third-seeded Norwegian beat the American in straight sets, nine months after the then-No. 229-ranked Shelton knocked Ruud out of the Western and Southern Open. “Obviously I wanted my revenge,” he said. “It was in the back of my mind.”
Highlights: Ruud advances to the quarter-finals at Barcelona Open after beating Shelton
Casper Ruud began his Barcelona Open campaign with a straight sets “revenge” victory over American Ben Shelton.
The third seed won 6-2 7-6(1) to move into the last 16 and get his own back on the upset Shelton caused him at the Western and Southern Open last August.
Ruud comfortably rallied through the first set before Shelton fought back from a 3-5 deficit in the second set to force a tie-break, but Ruud’s experience on clay showed as he wrapped up the match in 70 minutes.
“He was playing great, and I think I was playing great,” said Ruud.
“I played a perfect first set and he was making maybe a few too many mistakes… But I think all throughout the second set was tough games, tough rallies.
“It can be difficult. In the first set you feel like you get a lot of free points, and so on, but then suddenly he starts playing almost like a wall and playing really good from on defence.
“It’s tough when someone changes in the middle of the match, but I’m very happy that I was able to stay calm and play a very good tie-break.”
The world No. 3’s triumph means the pair are now tied on the head-to-head with a win apiece, and Ruud finally getting Shelton back for the then-No. 229-ranked player’s victory in Ohio last summer.
“Obviously I wanted my revenge,” said Ruud when asked the previous defeat had given him extra motivation. “Different surface, different continent, different tournament… I felt like I had a little bit more time here to build the points on clay, which is normal.
“It was in the back of my mind. I think Cincinnati last year was a breakout tournament for Ben, where things started going so well for him.
“Obviously, this year as well [at the Australian Open], where he made the quarter-finals, so he’s had an unbelievable progression in a short period of time… I had to be on top of my game and tried to feel more at home than him somehow on the red clay.”
The match was only Shelton’s fifth-ever battle on red clay, and Ruud’s greater experience on the surface showed despite the 20-year-old’s second-set comeback.
Ruud is a nine-time tour-level titlist on clay and was far more composed in the key moments.
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