Draper v Ruud: Final impredecible en Madrid | ATP Tour

Madrid

Ruud and Draper face an unpredictable final in Madrid

This Sunday the second ATP Masters 1000 on clay of the year is defined

May 03, 2025

For the second consecutive year, Mutua Madrid Open will have unpublished finalists. Twelve months ago they were Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, and this Sunday the protagonists will be Jack Draper and Casper Ruud, with plenty of merits to have arrived so far in the Magic Fund.

None have lost sets in the fortnight, and if either of them maintains the trend will become the fourth champion in Madrid without losing sets, matching Roger Federer in 2006, Alexander Zverev in 2018 and Novak Djokovic in 2019.

However, judging by the level they have shown in these two weeks, a very closed game could be expected and with great chances of going to the decisive one. While Ruud has more experience on the surface, Draper (debutant in a final under these conditions) has played as if he were an expert and before players of great hierarchy in this type of track, such as Lorenzo Musetti or Matteo Berrettini.

Some may imagine a Draper commanding the rhythm and ruud containing the British fire, but the tournament numbers suggest otherwise. The British has fewer winning shots (85-92) and non-forced errors (67-89) than the Norwegian, so it is highly probable that the domain of the encounter will be turned.

“I think I arrived at the 50th place in the world counterattacing and defending myself,” Draper said. “Last year I was in a kind of crisis, thinking: ‘Where will my game go? What do I need to change?’

“The important thing was to learn to defend myself, but also to attack when I need it. So I think I have much better balance … I am a big player, but I am not only someone who hits great serves and can connect a great winning shot; I can do everything on the court, and I think that is what all the best players do.”

And while No. 6 of the PIF ATP Rankings has been more regular to the serve (it has only suffered two ruptures in the fortnight, against the six of Ruud), the head of series No. 14 in Madrid has been more effective breaking the rest: it converted 17 of 35 (49%), a rate higher than that of Draper (13 of 32, 41%).

Another factor that makes this Sunday’s duel unpredictable, which begins at 18:30, local time, is the null history among its protagonists. It will be the first chapter in the Lexus ATP Headtohead between them.

Whoever wins will have an exclusive place in history books. Draper, who is already guaranteed to upload on Monday to No. 5, the top of his career at the PIF ATP Rankings, seeks to become the second British player to win this event, and first from Andy Murray in 2008 and 2015.

A triumph of the current Indian Wells champion would also make him the second of his nation with multiple titles at ATP Masters 1000 level, as well as in the second tennis player born in this century to conquer tournaments of this category both on fast and clay tracks. The one who already got it was Carlos Alcaraz.

If the victory is in the hands of Ruud, the Norwegian would unlock a level in his career, since his greatest title so far achieved it a year ago in the ATP 500 in Barcelona. After falling into the definition of Miami in 2022 and Montecarlo in 2024, the 26 -year -old right -handed seeks to get off and achieve its desired coronation in ATP Masters 1000.

“I arrived at the Montecarlo final playing tennis very well before that final, and ended up losing,” Ruud said. “If we look at this year, I have not played as well as in 2024, and I am back in another final, so I arrive with a slightly different stage.”

Win would also mean going up No. 7 of the PIF ATP Rankings. This tournament began outside the Top 10 for the first time since February 2024. Now it is in No. 10 of the live ranking, and close to putting a good position to return to Top 5 in the coming weeks.

“I hope I can win this time and think that the third was the defeated.”