ATP Tournament in Gstaad, Quarterfinals, Friday, 18.07.2025, 00:30
He is the top seed and two-time defending champion – so he is naturally the favorite. Casper Ruud wants to redeem himself in Gstaad after his recent inconsistent form. Will he succeed?
The start has been quite bumpy, with his opponent already sending a German player home. So my Ruud Cerundolo tip promises excitement – because I’m betting on the underdog to get something out of this.
Is Casper Ruud still one of the best players on the tour? In some ways, yes, but in other ways, no. The Norwegian has dropped out of the top 10 and is currently unable to build on his glory days.
After his embarrassing exit in the second round of the French Open (6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 0-6 against Nuno Borges), and that as a clay court specialist, he didn’t make it to Wimbledon. Ruud canceled his participation at short notice, having not regained his form in time.
Even before Roland Garros, it was clear that something wasn’t quite right. He suffered a 1-6, 0-6 defeat to Jannik Sinner, and his title at the Mutua Open in Madrid did not hide his overall poor form.
In short: it is by no means a foregone conclusion that the 26-year-old will achieve a strong result in Gstaad. He is the two-time defending champion here – at least if we refer to his last two appearances.
In 2022, he celebrated tournament victory against Matteo Berrettini, and a year earlier he won the final against Hugo Gaston. He started the current edition with a match against Dominic Stricker, which was by no means an easy task.
Ruud was expecting a tough match, and his 7-5, 7-6 victory could have gone either way. However, he only allowed his opponent one break and won 80% of his first serves with a 62% first serve success rate.
All in all, I can say that his performance was by no means bad, but there is still room for improvement. On Friday, he will face Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the first direct duel between the two players.
It will come as no surprise when I say that there is a clear favorite. Our best online bookmakers are offering odds of 1.20 to 4.20.
For example, if you want to bet on a straight win for Ruud, Merkur-Sports is offering odds of 1.65. Take note: this bookie is also offering a bonus of up to €100 when you register as a new customer.
Juan Manuel Cerundolo, currently ranked 109 in the world, is likely aware of the formidable opponent he will face on Friday. The Argentine is competing in Gstaad for the first time since 2021, when he was defeated by Hugo Gaston in the opening round four years ago.
The 23-year-old’s first two matches in Gstaad this year were turbulent ups and downs. In the first round, much to my chagrin, he knocked out Jan-Lennard Struff, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
A few days later, the spectators were treated to three sets in his 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 defeat to David Goffin. Cerundolo gave away a total of 18 break points, which he definitely won’t be able to afford against Ruud.
He was more impressive against Goffin, with 70% of his first serves landing in the box. Cerundolo returned to the slower clay courts immediately after his quick exit from Wimbledon.
He made it to the quarterfinals at the Challenger in Modena, but then lost in the final in Braunschweig. However, we must note that he was seeded seventh and the big names were not competing here.
My Ruud Cerundolo tip
How strong is Casper Ruud really these days in Gstaad? Rarely have I found it so difficult to assess the clay court specialist correctly. His first victory against Dominic Stricker clearly fell into the category of a hard-fought win.
Accordingly, although Juan Manuel Cerundolo is not a top player, I can imagine that Ruud will show nerves. So I’m going to take a risk and say:
Ruud won’t get through easily!
