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 in the present day, Ruud reiterated his assertion on the punishing ATP schedule—and the way he plans to navigate it. Learn the whole 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 every other participant,” Ruud advised Nicholas Albek of Bolavip. “Positive, you’ll be able to decide and select in a approach, 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 every thing.
“However yeah, positive, if you’re within the prime 10, prime 15, you make some huge cash, however you additionally spend some huge cash with all of the bills that you’ve, so that you don’t need to miss out on any cash if you happen to don’t have to.
“I do know that if you’re not wholesome or not eligible to play, you gained’t be put in jail if you happen to don’t play, however there may be additionally an financial incentive to play, and a few folks care extra about it than others. However I feel the season is lengthy.”
Requested concerning 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. Truly, even once 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 can 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 favored that. So I do empathize or sympathize with gamers who’re in opposition to that, as a result of now they’re realizing, I assume, that it’s not likely nice.”
The 26-year-old Ruud, seeded second in Stockholm, mentioned he plans to trim his schedule and take in 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 in a different way, perhaps 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 lots of occasions, and I performed some exhibitions within the preseason, so these are some decisions that I’ve made, which I look again on and assume I shouldn’t have performed. For the long run, that’s one thing I’ll consider.”
It’s a difficulty Ruud has contemplated previously. Following his French Open second-round exit, Ruud shared he had been competing with a knee harm largely due to the ranking-point stress and monetary affect.
“It’s type of like a rat race relating to the rankings, as effectively. You are feeling you’re obligated to play with sure guidelines that the ATP have arrange with the necessary occasions,” Ruud mentioned at Roland Garros earlier this season. “You are feeling such as you lose loads if you happen to 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 essential for the remaining of the yr and for my profession. After all, if my leg is damaged, I gained’t play.
“However it’s powerful in any case, particularly when there’s a time with necessary occasions to skip them as a result of the punishments are fairly arduous, by way of everybody else will play, acquire factors, and also you gained’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 yr.
