Title holder and three-time winner of the Geneva Open, Casper Ruud (ATP 6) was eliminated in the 2nd round of the Australian Open. But his defeat was only half a surprise.
On the one hand, the Norwegian lost to one of the great hopes of the men’s circuit, Jakub Mensik (ATP 48). He was beaten 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 by the 19-year-old Czech, who served the lead with 22 aces and released no less than 62 winners for ‘only’ 35 unforced errors.
On the other hand, Casper Ruud has never been comfortable at the Australian Open. The former world No. 2, three-time Grand Slam finalist (Roland-Garros 2022 and 2023, US Open 2022), has never progressed beyond the round of 16 stage in Melbourne, and has only won eight matches there in six appearances in the final draw.
Jakub Mensik, who forms with Jiri Lehecka and Tomas Machac the new shock trio of Czech tennis, thus confirms his excellent 2024 season. He played his first ATP final last year, in Doha in February, and reached a few months more late in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters 1000, beating two top 10s along the way.
/ATS
Swiss
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