Casper Ruud funnily nearly dropped an F-bomb while discussing the challenge of playing Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz but managed to stop himself at the last moment before apologizing to viewers.
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This season, the 23-year-old Italian and the 22-year-old Spaniard separated themselves from the rest of the competition after splitting four Grand Slams between them. Also, they are the players with the most wins on the ATP Tour in 2024.
And Ruud, who is a three-time Grand Slam finalist and currently ranked at No. 8, didn't sugarcoat anything when asked how difficult it was to play Sinner and Alcaraz.
"The level that they can produce is just incredible, so it is really fun to watch. It is also... In a way challenging, because you know that's f... Sorry for my language, but you if you play them, you know, it is going to be really difficult," the Norwegian tennis star told Eurosport.
Ruud has yet to record a win vs either Sinner or Alcaraz
In 2020 and 2021, the current world No. 8 picked up back-to-back straight-set defeats to the Italian in Vienna. Interestingly, they haven't played since.
When it comes to his head-to-head versus the Spaniard, Ruud has four losses there, with the most painful coming in the 2022 Miami Masters and US Open finals. In those four matches, the Norwegian managed to win only one set against Alcaraz.
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Considering how good the two top-ranked players in the game have become, it is fair to say that clinching a win against them now is an even tougher job.
"This year, we have two young players who have taken all four. It's fun to see with your own eyes that it's possible, but they are the ones who have stood out the most, showing high level, aggressive play, and good tennis," Ruud said back in September.
