For the past two decades, men’s tennis has been defined by the legendary trio of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. While other remarkable players like Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka made their mark, the dominance of the “Big Three” has overshadowed much of their generation.
Following them is a younger wave of players who rose during the peak of the Big Three’s dominance, competing against them on the sport’s biggest stages while striving to carve out their own legacies.
This newer generation, including the likes of Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Casper Ruud, had both the privilege of sharing the tour with the Big Three and the misfortune of often being thwarted by them in major finals. While some of these players have captured Grand Slam titles, many others fell short in decisive matches against the legends.
Casper Ruud, one of the most skilled players of his era, recently weighed in on the GOAT debate, leaving no room for doubt about his choice. “Djokovic is a tough nut to crack and undoubtedly deserves to be considered the greatest of all time. There is no question about everything he has won,” said Ruud.
He elaborated further, saying, “In terms of achievements and tournament wins, Djokovic has won every possible title. I often say it’s impossible to ‘complete’ tennis like a video game when there’s nothing left to achieve, but in terms of merits and victories, Djokovic has done it all. It’s been incredible to see him win Olympic gold this season”. Ruud’s remarks came in 2024 after Djokovic’s historic triumph at the Paris Olympics.
Casper Ruud vs. the Big Three
Ruud turned professional in 2015, entering the tour at a time when Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic were already rewriting tennis history. As Ruud ascended the rankings, he inevitably crossed paths with the Big Three on the court.
Against Nadal, the Norwegian has played two matches, both of which Nadal won. Their most notable encounter came in the 2022 Roland Garros final, where Nadal overwhelmed Ruud to secure his record-extending 14th Roland Garros title. Against the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, Ruud faced the Swiss maestro once, in the third round of the 2018 French Open, where Federer cruised to a straight-sets victory.
Lastly, against Novak Djokovic, Ruud has faced the Serbian seven times. Officially, the ATP recognizes six meetings, excluding Djokovic’s walkover in the 2024 French Open quarterfinals.
Djokovic holds a 5-1 head-to-head advantage, including a dominant performance in the 2023 Roland Garros final. Ruud’s lone win over Djokovic came in a hard-fought match earlier in their rivalry.
Casper Ruud’s stellar career
Casper Ruud has established himself as one of the most consistent players on tour. Known for his strength on clay and his ability to adapt to hard courts, Ruud has only struggled on grass, though the short grass-court season hasn’t significantly impacted his status as a top-10 player.
Ruud achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in 2022. He has reached three Grand Slam finals: the 2022 Rolan Garros (losing to Nadal), the 2022 US Open (falling to Carlos Alcaraz), and the 2023 French Open (losing to Djokovic).
In terms of titles, Ruud has claimed 12 ATP trophies. His most notable victory came at the 2024 Barcelona Open, an ATP 500 event, where he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. The remainder of his titles came at the ATP 250 level, including two victories at the Buenos Aires Open.