and Ruud had his first-ever ATP 1,000 title 6-4 to crown a week in which the tennis fire he said he had been missing truly returned as much as it ever does for one of the coolest players on the ATP Tour Ruud turned the Madrid Open back into a clay-court tournament just as Draper looked set to win it by disregarding what was under foot entirely absorbing the British player’s barrage of incendiary groundstrokes and spreading him across every corner of the Caja Mágica’s red dirt “Jack had been playing unbelievable all year … I knew if I didn’t bring my AA-plus game I would be whooped around the court,” Ruud said when it was over but played two low-energy service games to first give Ruud a lifeline and then to concede the set Draper fumed at himself during the set break astounded by his flatness at a crucial time — as he had every right to be after sweeping all before him in previous rounds The Brit won most of his matches at the event using intelligently destructive tennis Madrid’s elevation makes it more hospitable to aggression than other clay-court events on the circuit and Draper used that — and the extra bounce the altitude gives his high-revolution forehand — to keep his opponents on their heels was able to minimize Draper’s ability to play hard-court tennis on brick dust except for the latter part of the second set withstanding Draper’s attempts to rush his backhand and profiting from attacking the Brit’s forehand when he could take the initiative Both men escaped tight service games at the top of the third set before Ruud secured the decisive break for a 4-2 lead easing through the last few games until he had his arms aloft in celebration of the biggest title of his career while Draper still achieves a career-high ranking of No Don’t expect Ruud to change his cruising altitude for anything (Photo: Thomas Coex / AFP via Getty Images) A two-time French Open finalist, Ruud was competing in the seventh significant final of his career. He had lost all six of those previous matches, including both those Paris finals in 2022 and 2023, the 2022 US Open final and the ATP finals. He has, at last, clinched one of the biggest titles in the game. Read more“It is a mix of somewhat of a relief and happiness and just pure joy,” said the 26-year-old Ruud based on the last years that I’ve had on tour how tough it is to do well at the biggest tournaments and I’ve never been able to get over the finish line as a champion but today I was able to and this week here in Madrid that I was able to stay focused in the tournament.” After two supreme weeks in the Spanish capital this is a painful defeat for Draper to digest after he led 5-3 in the opening set before conceding four consecutive games fighting back to force a final set but he was outlasted by one of the best clay-court tennis players in the world Draper solidified his status as among the very top contenders in men’s tennis on every single surface and at all levels “Just fresh off losing a really tough match in a final, it really hurts,” said the 22-year-old. “But at the same time, I think I’ve enjoyed a lot of really good successes here and so maybe this loss and maybe being in a final and not quite getting over the line just helps me to fuel my fire a bit more that I can Draper’s best results on clay were a couple of quarter-finals at lowly ATP 250 events He had never won three consecutive ATP matches on the surface or beaten a top-30 player Although he fully believed he had the ability to thrive on clay he arrived in Madrid searching for a breakthrough on the surface I’m not very good on the clay.’ Whereas I knew I was good on the clay,” said Draper “I had a couple of really tight losses last year and I just needed to get my foot in the door somewhere to show that I’m able to compete to a really high level on this surface Casper Ruud celebrates his first Masters 1000 title Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesAlongside his new career-high ATP ranking of No 5 which charts results within the calendar year and he is now the only British man to reach Masters 1000 finals on both hard and clay courts There is no doubt that he has the ability to win a major title “I’m really proud of the way I’ve been the first few months of this season,” he said “I think the exciting thing is there’s so much more to come from myself I feel like there’s still areas of my game that I can really improve and that’s very motivating for me and my coach and my team that I honestly feel like I’m at the start of my journey So I’m going to keep on improving and keep on pushing hard and keep these tough moments in my head to keep on driving myself to be better.” Ruud has now won 125 matches and 12 titles on clay over the past five years more than any other player on the ATP tour since the beginning of 2020 “I’ve been in many unbelievable and incredible positions in my career and I’ve been able to experience some great things and have been on the losing spectrum of many of those matches my career has gone better than maybe I thought was possible sometimes The man from Oslo added: “Of course I always dreamed about winning tournaments like this or grand slams or becoming world No 1 but it’s not like I was serving for the match anytime or super-leading “So I’ve just played players that were better than me and I’ve tried to learn from that and think that one day there will come another opportunity and maybe I can seize it and They said he crumbles when pressure ramps up They said he doesn’t have the game to win the big tournaments The cynics based their theories on the fact that he had lost all five of the big finals he had played three in Grand Slams and two in Masters 1000s sometimes patience is required to claim the biggest titles And that is exactly what Casper Ruud has done has produced the victory of his career at the Mutua Madrid Open taking down Jack Draper in the men’s final on Sunday 6-4 to finally claim his first Masters 1000 title after those where he fell at the final hurdle in Miami in 2022 and Monte Carlo in 2024 finals (17) and titles (12) than any other player on clay since 2020 he arrived at this year’s Mutua Madrid Open with a question mark hanging over his form having bowed out in the last sixteen in Monte Carlo and the quarters in Barcelona Those results caused him to fall to 15th position in the ATP world rankings meaning he came into the Caja Magica somewhat under the radar But Ruud is Ruud and clay is his natural habitat the Rafa Nadal Academy player coached by Pedro Clar worked his way through the rounds to earn a place in the final in his semifinal against Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo he had to undergo treatment from an ATP physio for a problem with his ribs his fitness issues did nothing to stop him taking to the Manolo Santana Stadium on Sunday to defeat a Draper who enjoyed something of a breakthrough at the tournament he will climb to number five in the world on Monday “Draper’s level is difficult to improve on he’s improved his movement on clay and he’s played well in all his matches “As Ruud is a clay player and he’s used to the latter rounds But I think the big moments are more important in tennis than history and players’ pasts Jack Draper was the champion in Indian Wells and in Madrid he’s level is incredible Feli was spot on: the final was wide open and the players put on a masterclass for the almost 12,500 people who filled out the Manolo Santana Stadium on Sunday evening with a break to take a 5-4 lead on his serve He broke Draper twice on the trot to claim the first set and started the second with a hold on his serve and the Briton suddenly had a mountain to climb Draper had not played a third set all tournament if he wanted to get his hands on the trophy he would have to fight back against a player who moves around the clay like no other The Londoner did not shy away from the challenge much to the delight of the fans in the Caja Magica I have read and accept the terms and conditions and I want to subscribe to the newsletter. Download the official Mutua Madrid Open App: schedule and how to watch liveThree-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud takes on world No 6 Jack Draper in the ATP 1000 final in Spain Find out everything you need to know ahead of their clash The pair face off in the men’s singles final at the 2025 Madrid Open on Sunday (4 May) with neither having dropped a set on the road to the showpiece event at the Caja Mágica Whatever happens, both athletes will eagerly anticipate the release of the updated ATP world rankings the day after the final. Draper will reach a career-high of No. 5 and overtake Novak Djokovic while Ruud returns to the top 10 and can rise as high as seventh with silverware in Spain Draper is looking to emulate his idol, double Olympic champion Andy Murray by seizing the Madrid title a decade on from Murray’s second triumph in the capital city On the other side of the net is one of the tour’s clay court masters. No man has won more matches on the surface this decade than Norway’s Ruud. The 26-year-old has won 11 of his 12 career titles on clay, though this would be a first to come at a 1000-level tournament. Having established himself as one of the best on clay, Ruud now seeks to earn the biggest title of his career. Find out the key details ahead of the Madrid Open final. schedule and how to watch live","tag":"[\"discipline-tennis\",\"2025-atp-wta-tennis-mutua-madrid-open-madrid\",\"newsclip\",\"schedule\",\"preview\",\"casper-ruud\",\"jack-draper\",\"noc-gb\",\"noc-no\",\"gender-male\",\"apple-news-all\"]","module_type":"InStoryCampaign","module_title":"Casper Ruud vs Jack Draper Despite competing together on the ATP tour for seven years the 2025 Madrid Open final will be the first meeting between Ruud and Draper Ruud has defeated four seeded players in a row to advance to the final Two of them have been higher seeds in the men’s singles draw Coming into the tournament as world No. 15, the Norwegian player eliminated third seed Taylor Fritz in the round of 16 before recording a first career win over former world No Ruud overcame an injury scare in his semi-final with Francisco Cerúndolo taking a medical time-out following the third game He managed to dig deep and advance to the final in straight sets Draper’s common theme in Madrid has been Italian opponents Three of his five matches in the Spanish capital were against players from Italy – with no sign of faulter Following a second-round walkover against former Grand Slam finalist Matteo Berrettini, the London-born man went on to defeat 11th seed and Olympic medallist Tommy Paul, followed by a rout of Matteo Arnaldi (who had beaten Djokovic) in the quarter-final Draper met top 10 debutant and Olympic bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti in the final four The Italian pushed him to the limits in a thrilling encounter but was no match for Draper in the end as the Brit edged him out 6-3 7-6(4) to reach a second ATP 1000 final in three months Ruud and Draper will face off on Sunday (4 May) not before 18:30 local time (CEST GMT+2) at Madrid's Estadio Manolo Santana The 2025 Madrid Open final will be broadcast on TV2 in Norway and Sky Sports in Great Britain × Madrid crowns a maiden Masters winner and a familiar champion Tennis' two-week stay in the Spanish capital has come to a close with Aryna Sabalenka and Casper Ruud crowned champions at the Caja Magica over the weekend Ruud knows all too well the feeling of battling through to a big final The former world No.2, prior to Madrid, had excelled at some of the biggest tournaments in the world, reaching three Grand Slam finals and the championship match at the ATP Finals On Sunday at the Madrid Open, the 26-year-old stood his ground, and overcame a red-hot Jack Draper 7-5 6-4 to clinch the biggest title of his career and first at the Masters 1000 level "It is a mix of somewhat of a relief and happiness and just pure joy," said Ruud after becoming the first Norwegian to secure a Masters 1000 crown based on the last years that I've had on tour and I've never been able to get over the finish line as a champion "But today I was able to and this week here in Madrid that I was able to stay focused in the tournament throughout the whole match." Ruud arrived in Madrid ranked 15 in the world and revealed during the tournament that he had been struggling mentally these past few months suffering from burnout and feeling like he was "running in a hamster wheel that never got anywhere" He sought help and was thrilled to see the work he has been doing to improve his mental state was paying off so fast "I guess I'm back on the hamster wheel, but with a better mentality of that it's allowed to kind of have mental struggles or tougher days mentally, and tennis is not just about hitting the balls well or being quick around the court, but it's also a very, very mindful game," he said after his quarter-final win over Daniil Medvedev In a high-quality final against the fifth-seeded Draper Ruud recovered from 3-5 down in the opening set and halted the Brit’s momentum in the decider to secure a milestone victory it would be less surprising if I was able to win the big title last year because of the other results I had,” said Ruud "But since Roland-Garros last year I've had quite many months of struggling and not many good results or I took one or two steps back in my game and my feelings on court in order to take two or three steps forward again it feels like I've taken four steps forward Draper can also feel like he’s taken many steps forward particularly when it comes to his game on clay The British lefty, who won Indian Wells a few weeks ago cemented his profile as a multi-surface threat and was ever so close to completing the set of winning titles on hard all in straight sets – and the way he challenged Ruud Draper will no doubt fancy his chances on Paris’ terre battue later this month "Just fresh off losing a really tough match in a final who rises to a career-high No.5 in the world on Monday I think I've enjoyed a lot of really good successes here "I'm really proud of the way I've been the first few months of this season I think the exciting thing is there's so much more to come from myself." There’s been a familiar pattern so far this season; more likely than not In the final, Sabalenka defeated the fourth-seeded Coco Gauff 6-3, 7-6(3) to extend her lead at the top of the rankings to over 4,300 points ahead of world No.2 Iga Swiatek It was the 20th title triumph of Sabalenka’s career and it came on the heels of a runner-up showing on indoor clay in Stuttgart the previous week And it's not like something I didn't expect to happen," Sabalenka said when reminded of her impressive record this season "I work hard and I know that if I bring my game and if I fight for every point that I'm capable of that I really hope that I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and keep playing the way I'm playing right now." Gauff started her fortnight in Madrid by getting bagelled by Dayana Yastremska in her opener The 21-year-old American won her next 10 sets at the Caja Magica – including two against last year’s champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals – to reach her first final of the season (outside of the United Cup team event) She moves back to No.3 in the world as a result and shot her way up from No.12 to No.6 in the WTA Race Losing in a final is an unfamiliar feeling for Gauff who was 10-1 in finals entering her clash with Sabalenka and hadn’t lost one since Roland-Garros 2022 but obviously if I can lose this and go a few more finals undefeated I'll take that," said Gauff on Saturday and maybe I needed to feel this loss again to be motivated again The Casper College Veterans Service will hold a special cording and coin ceremony for graduating student veterans on Friday each graduating veteran will be awarded an honor cord and a challenge coin to symbolize their dedication and commitment during their time at Casper College “This special evening is dedicated to our student veterans commemorating their academic achievements and honoring their service to our country,” said Rachael Cestnik will provide the keynote address at the event featuring light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres and fellow supporters to celebrate this memorable occasion with graduating Casper College student veterans “We want to come together to applaud the accomplishments of our student veterans and express our heartfelt thanks for their service and sacrifice,” noted Cestnik The Chapman Lobby is located on the second floor of the Walter H Nolte Gateway Center on the Casper College campus During the service, each graduating veteran will be awarded an honor cord and a challenge coin to symbolize their dedication and commitment during their time at Casper College...\nRead More Casper Ruud on Sunday joked that seven was his lucky number after claiming the most important trophy of his career in his seventh big final as he beat Jack Draper to win the Madrid Open earned his first Masters 1000 triumph with a 7-5 6-4 victory over the Briton in a two-and-a-half-hour tussle at the Caja Magica who moved fifth in the world rankings above Novak Djokovic was hoping to add to his Indian Wells title in March but Ruud outlasted him in his third Masters final “This was my seventh big final if you count them all I’ve never really been too close in any of the finals when I look back — I’ve lost the majority of them in straight sets.” After his prior struggles on the big occasion also losing in the 2022 ATP Finals showpiece to Djokovic Ruud was grateful to triumph in the Spanish capital “It is a mix somewhat of a relief and happiness Draper had been looking for the first clay-court title of his career you really deserve it — you were braver than me in the key moments,” Draper said blinked first with back-to-back double faults to give Draper a break for 2-1 in the first set However in a seventh-game hold the Norwegian upped his power and showed his quality hinting at the fightback which was to follow Serving for the set Draper was unable to polish off his opponent Ruud held and then broke to claim the first set as Draper mishit a forehand It was the first set Draper had dropped at the tournament and he ranted aloud to his team to release his frustration Draper’s tactic seemed to work as he produced his best tennis in a brilliant second set in which he made just one unforced error and let his rasping forehand shine Draper broke in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead saved two break points in the eighth and then broke again himself to claim the second set Draper saved three break points to hold in a hard-fought third game Ruud broke in the fifth game and consolidated for a 4-2 lead with his first title of this stature in sight after 12 ATP titles at 250 and 500 level The tiring Draper saved a break point in the seventh game despite being docked a first serve for a time violation and Ruud held for 5-3 to leave Draper serving to stay in the match The 23-year-old found a second wind and held to love to make Ruud serve it out Ruud powered through his final service game opening up three match points and taking the first with Draper sending a reply into the stands to end it “I honestly feel like I’m at the start of my journey,” Draper said “I’m going to keep on improving and keep on pushing hard and keep these sort of tough moments in my head to keep on driving myself to be better.” May classes through Casper College Community Education include Cobbler Cupcakes “May learning always flourish — let’s dive into learning for fun with community education classes at Casper College,” said Zhanna Gallegos community education coordinator at Casper College You’ll enjoy the soft texture of cupcakes and the fruit flavors of cobblers in one dessert in Cobbler Cupcakes Saturday Instructor Sara Pederson will show students tips and tricks for baking delectable cupcakes and creating flawless whipped icing cinnamon swirl cupcakes with a cobbler-like top how to modify cobbler cupcakes using any seasonal fruit whip up a deliciously light topping that compliments any dessert Supplies are provided for Cobbler Cupcakes Enjoy a drawing experience that immerses you in the beauty of spring’s renewal with Capturing Spring in Sketches Students will pause to observe the vibrant rebirth of flora and fauna and learn to see natural materials’ shapes and colors as they capture these details in their sketchbooks bringing the season’s essence to life Instructor Sara Bohl will email the supply list before the first class The second and third classes will meet on location Capturing Spring in Sketches will run on Wednesday evenings from 6-7:30 Inmigracion Basada en la Familia or Family-based Immigration will be taught by Mary Longart and Christine Jordan on Saturday Hay mucho en juego a la hora de reunir a una familia Descubra cómo y cuándo el sistema de inmigración de los EE cónyuge o hijo emigre a los Estados Unidos Revise el formulario de Petición de familiar extranjero y analice el proceso de petición de un familiar ubicado dentro del país o en el extranjero Translated: A lot is at stake when bringing a family together or child to immigrate to the United States Review the Petition for Alien Relative form and discuss the process of petitioning for a family member located within the country or abroad Range Safety and Pistol Marksmanship will provide a relaxed classroom setting to learn the various aspects of range safety before visiting a local shooting range and carbine rifle law enforcement professional will discuss basic firearm safety and pistol marksmanship current production pistol in their desired caliber or a semiautomatic gun Firearms must be in a secure pistol container or a zippered gun rug with ammunition and magazines stored separately and a safety check before class are required Targets and other range equipment will be provided Range Safety and Pistol Marksmanship will run Thursday and Friday learn about Rotary Park’s unique environment and diverse ecosystems examining flora and fauna in mountain meadows and ponderosa pine forests in higher elevation points of the Bridle Trail in Rotary Park Ecosystems as well as water and lunch for this one-day class that will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m Community education offers noncredit courses for personal enrichment and lifelong learning for people 16 and older. To sign up or for more information on these and other classes, click here or call 307-268-3401 Townsquare Media; Photos collected from Getty Images Curious? Community education offers noncredit courses for personal enrichment and lifelong learning for people 16 and older.\nRead More Community education offers noncredit courses for personal enrichment and lifelong learning for people 16 and older. To sign up or for more information on these and other classes, click here or call 307-268-3401 After nearly a year of coming so close on the big stages, Casper Ruud has finally delivered. The Norwegian won his first-ever Masters 1000 title on Sunday with a tight Madrid Open final win over Jack Draper the Norwegian tennis star showed the mental and physical strength that has been the missing piece in his otherwise solid career The 26-year-old has lost in his first Masters 1000 title match last year and reached three Grand Slam finals in his career Madrid posed another stern test in the form of fifth-seeded Draper Casper Ruud’s style always featured flour on clay He has been a regular contender throughout the European clay season thanks to his topspin-biased groundstrokes His breakthrough victory catapulted him from clay-court player to full-fledged title contender The Madrid Open has created many storylines for the former World No.2 Showing up in Madrid as the 14th seed, he departed with the biggest win of his career. Before getting by Draper in the title match, Ruud dispatched high-level foes—Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Francisco Cerundolo—in the process Each win revealed a more mature player: less nervous in his head under pressure and more aggressive at flattening out his forehand as needed fresh from a title at Indian Wells and a strong run to the Madrid finals without dropping a set and he seemed set to assert a second Masters 1000 title given his 2025 profile and audacious Even when the British tennis star dropped the first set after leading 5-3 The 23-year-old fixed his errors in the second set and showed why he is rising in the rankings fast the last set was a battle of attrition with long rallies as there was a 10-minute third game in the deciding set during which he saved three break points the Norwegian found another gear when it counted but Ruud simply refused to let the moment pass This triumph helps the Norwegian tennis star reclaim the No.7 ranking. This victory confirms that the 26-year-old is more than just a constant presence or a specialist in second place. He is a title winner at the top level; his toolkit suggests he could go even further. It also comes just before the French Open Casper Ruud’s victory in Madrid represented a turning point in his career the Norwegian delivered when it counted most and removed the nearly-man classification and tireless tennis has finally reaped benefits in a sector rife with youth With the French Open approaching and his confidence at an all-time high this could just be the start of a new chapter in Ruud’s career MADRID — Casper Ruud became the first Norwegian tennis player to win a Masters 1000 title after beating Jack Draper 7-5 rallied from 5-3 down in the first set and sealed the victory after capitalizing on his lone break at 2-2 in the third The 26-year-old Ruud yelled and thrust both arms into the air after clinching the win on his first match point on the Caja Magica clay court "One of the really big goals I dreamed about when I was young so it's an incredible feeling to accomplish it I knew Jack had been playing unbelievable all year so I knew that if I didn't bring my A-plus game I was going to be whooped around the court." The 15th-ranked Ruud will return to the top 10 thanks to his campaign in Madrid "Jack has become such an incredible player he is the first Norwegian to lift a Masters 1000 trophy since the series was introduced in 1990 It was Ruud's third such final after losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo last year and to Carlos Alcaraz in Miami in 2022 than any other player since the start of 2020 Draper won at California's Indian Wells in March he secured a top-five debut in the rankings Draper said Ruud was "braver" than him in the key moments on Sunday "You deserve this," the 23-year-old British player said "You've obviously put in so much hard work and constantly had very good years on the tour .. but I think this loss is going to make me better The tournament in Madrid was disrupted early last week because of a major blackout that brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill on Monday prompting the postponement of 22 matches in total Ruud had needed to take a couple of painkillers during his semifinal win over Francisco Cerundolo after feeling a rib ailment during his warmup but there were no signs of any injury on Sunday who like Ruud had not lost a set on his way to the final served for the first set at 5-4 but couldn't finish it He was visibly upset and kept talking to himself and to his staff for a while during the changeover The men's side of the draw lost most of its top players early had to withdraw from the tournament because of an injury and Novak Djokovic lost to Matteo Arnaldi in his opening match Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff in the women's final Saturday This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing Casper Ruud paid a touching tribute to his fiancée Maria Galligani after capturing the biggest title of his career at the Madrid Open on Sunday World No 15 Ruud battled past fifth seed Jack Draper in an enthralling final inside the Caja Magica It is the 13th ATP Tour title of the Norwegian’s career and his first Masters 1000 title Ruud was beaten in his previous two Masters finals at the 2022 Miami Open and 2024 Monte Carlo Masters he also tasted defeat in 2022 and 2023 French Open finals The Norwegian has finally banished his ‘big title’ hoodoo in the Spanish capital after opening up about his struggle with mental health issues earlier in the week Casper Ruud banishes ‘big title’ hoodoo as Madrid Open title secures top-10 return Aryna Sabalenka’s Madrid Open prize money revealed as she plots a birthday party plan speaking in an interview in the aftermath of his three-set win the 26-year-old paid a warm tribute to his loved ones – and Galligani “It’s been incredible,” said Ruud “I owe a lot of my success to all my closest ones – my family We got engaged last year so she’s been an incredible support for me over many years now “She came yesterday to come and support Maybe that was the last little push I needed to get over the finish line and it’s great I’m surrounded by amazing people Psychology graduate Galligani and former world No 2 Ruud have been dating since 2018 with the tennis star announcing their engagement in November 2024 the Norwegian simply wrote: “Can’t wait to marry you.” No details have been confirmed as to when the couple will officially tie the knot though Ruud’s exploits in Madrid may provide a timely boost towards their wedding fund who will rise to world No 7 thanks to his victory will take home an impressive €985,030 in prize money following his triumph in the Spanish capital Having already earned over $23 million across the course of his career it is fair to say that a tight budget will not be a concern for the happy couple Ruud will now look to continue his clay-court momentum at the Italian Open with the men’s singles main draw underway on Wednesday he will not start his campaign until later in the week though he suffered a shock second-round defeat twelve months ago Read Next: Who is Jannik Sinner’s new girlfriend? World No 1 dating model Lara Leito © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved Casper Ruud sealed a return to the top 10 of the ATP Rankings as he banished his ‘big title’ hoodoo with victory in an enthralling Madrid Open final The Norwegian battled past fifth seed Jack Draper 7-5 having crucially rallied from 3-5 down to take the opening set Ruud had previously never won a title above ATP 500 level with a string of defeats in ‘big’ finals across his career The Norwegian has lost three Grand Slam finals and was runner-up at the 2022 ATP Finals with Masters final defeats at the 2022 Miami Open and 2024 Monte Carlo Masters Victory at the Madrid Open represents the biggest title of his career and sees him become the third first-time Masters winner of 2025 following Draper (Indian Wells) and Jakub Mensik (Miami) He also continues his string of trailblazing feats for Norwegian tennis becoming his nation’s first ever Masters 1000 champion Ruud started the clay-court swing seemingly with a comfortable cushion inside the top 10 with the Norwegian ranked as the world No 7 ahead of the Monte Carlo Masters Points and money earned by Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek, Raducanu, Eala at Madrid Open After losing in round three in Monte Carlo and tasting defeat in the quarter-final of his Barcelona Open title defence Ruud found himself down at 15th in the ATP Rankings the 26-year-old is set to leap eight spots up the ATP Rankings – and will return to world No 7 on Monday Earning 1,000 ranking points for his triumph an improvement on his 1000 fourth-round points from 2024 Ruud will soar to 3,715 ranking points when the ATP Rankings update That will move him ahead of current world No 7 Alex de Minaur With only second-round points to defend at the Italian Open the Norwegian is now in pole position to seal a top-eight seeding for the French Open Being inside the top eight could prove crucial to his chances of winning a maiden major title; if he is inside the top eight he will avoid a higher-ranked player until at least the quarter-final in Paris The seedings for the French Open will be based on the ATP Rankings once action is concluded in the Italian capital with the rankings set to update post-event on Monday Ruud was the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022 and 2023 and also reached the semi-final in 2024 He is also a three-time Italian Open semi-finalist with the final Masters 1000 event of the clay swing underway this coming week Read Next: 2025 Italian Open: Will Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu, Alex Eala play? Draw dates, top seeds… MADRID – It took a while, but it finally happened: Norway’s Casper Ruud reached a new level by winning the Madrid tournament the first Masters 1000 title of his career Ruud defeated Britain’s Jack Draper 7-5 6-4 in an intense final lasting two hours and 29 minutes in the Spanish capital Ruud and Draper made every penny spent on a ticket to a tournament of this magnitude worthwhile: every point was a battle It was a pleasure to watch two such consistent players both mentally and physically committed to finding their opponent’s weak spot Draper, who is enjoying the best moment of his career, impressed with the power of his forehand and his ability to take advantage of his left-handedness, hitting to the open angle and unsettling his opponent. But Ruud is still Ruud, a shot-returning machine, albeit with a surprising attitude on the clay of Madrid. It is as if, at the age of 25, he has finally convinced himself of what a good tennis player he is. Ruud had reached six finals and lost six times in Grand Slam and Masters 1000 tournaments will be ranked number five in the world from Monday a position more in line with his status as a three-time Grand Slam finalist That is precisely the new category he will now seek to unlock: winning one of the four majors and website in this browser for the next time I comment With 5+ years of mattress testing experience we use our different sleeping position and body type perspectives to offer well-rounded new zoned support design and softer profile -- which should benefit side sleepers with its pressure relief around the shoulders and hips -- come bearing a premium price tag Dillon Lopez/CNETI was excited to unbox all of the new Casper beds Casper is a popular brand and I've always regarded its beds highly The Casper beds arrived at CNET on a cold day which usually isn't important but we noticed something interesting with these Caspers that's true of all mattresses I noticed it was misshapen -- much more so than the average mattress after unboxing and cold foams tend to hold shape more than warm foams It wasn't an issue because the Dream Max fully inflated and looked perfectly normal after about a day thanks to the increased amount of memory foam they use Upon first starting to test the Dream Max Hybrid it reminded me a lot of the now discontinued Casper Nova Hybrid which was one of my personal favorite mattresses thanks to its accommodating feel and soft firmness profile that appeals to side sleepers like myself I immediately noticed the plushness of the Dream Max and I could feel the additional zoned support layers in the Dream Max Watch me review the Casper Dream Max Hybrid in this video review.  Dillon Lopez/CNETThe Casper Dream Max Hybrid has five distinct layers, not counting the cover. It has an additional layer of foam in comparison to the base model Dream Hybrid The bottommost layer of the Casper Dream Hybrid is a 2-inch layer of "Casper Core" support foam Most hybrid mattresses feature a layer of support foam on the bottom like this to provide the coils with a stable foundation I see and test this foam layer is usually thinner than 2 inches but I don't think it matters much because the primary support layer is a 6-inch layer of pocketed coils Dillon Lopez/CNETPocketed coils have pretty much supplanted traditional innersprings as the support layer in mattress design because they do a much better job at isolating motion and providing equal levels of support and bounce Above the coil layer is a roughly 2-inch layer of "Align Memory Foam" that contributes to the zoned support design which I'll cover a bit later Above this memory foam layer is a layer "Align Plus Flex Foam" which is a layer only found in the Dream Max Hybrid This foam also contributes to the zoned support design by working with the memory foam layer below the final layer of the Dream Max is a layer of "Breathe Flex Foam," which is the same top layer found on the base model Dream Max The top two layers of foam on this mattress are light airy and responsive and counteract the sink-in quality of the memory foam layer below It all adds up to give the Dream Max an accommodating All of Casper's old mattresses had this similar type of feel but its new beds have a greater variety of mattresses The familiar feel of the Dream Max (and also the Dream) is welcome Dillon Lopez/CNETPrevious Casper beds like the Casper Original Nova Hybrid and Wave Hybrid were known for their zoned-support design That means the mattress is divided into separate sections with varying firmness levels which are intended to promote improved spinal alignment.  and this could be a compelling feature for anyone with back pain I wouldn't be concerned with finding the mattress uncomfortable due to the internal differences in firmness because the difference is subtle You'll likely feel it to some degree as your body adjusts to the bed when it's new you won't notice the difference and you'll just get the benefits Dillon Lopez/CNETAs I mentioned earlier the Casper Dream Hybrid is a plush mattress that provides a lot of pressure relief for primary side sleepers we rated it to be around a medium-soft on our scale.  It should work decently well for certain combination sleepers especially because the zoned support design should help prevent your lower back from sinking too low if you wind up sleeping on your back or stomach but I would still recommend the Dream Max Hybrid for strict side sleepers and anyone who favors their side.  all of its other mattresses are firmer than the Dream Max Hybrid and the Casper One is the firmest option between a medium-firm and a true firm.  Dillon Lopez/CNETEdge supportThe edge support of a mattress refers to how well the perimeter of the bed holds up under pressure and it's important for couples sharing a mattress you can feel like you're going to roll off the mattress which usually leads to interrupted sleep.  All the beds from Casper (aside from the Casper One) have edges that are reinforced by the same layer of "Casper Core" support foam This refers to how well the mattress can absorb cross-mattress motion If your partner tosses and turns a lot throughout the night I found the Casper Dream Hybrid to be pretty average in this category you could wake up due to the cross-mattress motion of this bed more often than an all-foam mattress that features a lot of memory foam but I think it should work well enough for the majority of sleepers The top layers of foam on the Casper Dream Max Hybrid are noticeably different from the old Casper models It was previously called "Airscape" foam and that foam was breathable thanks to its perforated design The new "Breath Flex" foam on the Casper Dream Hybrid isn't perforated but it does have an open-cell design and is light and breathable Having coils also improves the breathability of the Dream Max Hybrid in comparison to a foam mattress so we think this bed should sleep solidly temperature neutral However, if you do want a bed with active cooling elements Casper's new Snow and Snow Max mattress are noticeably cool to the touch. Check out our list of the best cooling beds The Casper Dream Max Hybrid is one of Casper's most expensive options; only the Snow Max Hybrid has a higher price The Dream Max is priced roughly the same as the now-discontinued Casper Wave which this mattress is the most similar to and it's definitely in that luxury tier in terms of price.  With this amount of features, I think this price makes a certain degree of sense. It will often go on discount, usually around major holidays, so make sure to check out our mattress deals list for up-to-date pricing and discounts on the Dream Max and any other bed you might be interested in The Casper Dream Max and all of its other beds will ship right to your door at no extra cost in the contiguous United States inside of a box Unboxing a mattress is a quick and easy process; we've done it literally hundreds of times I do recommend unboxing it with two people because it can be challenging solo especially for larger sizes like queen and king Casper offers the usual standard in-home sleep trial of 100 nights So you get roughly 3 months to really test out the bed to see if it's supportive enough and comfortable enough for you.  Keep in mind that it can take a month or longer for your body to adjust to a new mattress if you struggle to get a good night's sleep in the first week or two despite more brands introducing return fees still offers completely free returns on all of its mattresses if you choose to return it within the provided trial period after trying it for at least 30 nights Returning a mattress is usually pretty easy; you just contact the company a group will come by your house to pick up the bed and then it will often get donated to someone in your local area All Casper mattresses are backed by a standard 10-year warranty a 10-year warranty is the minimum you should expect Dillon Lopez/CNETThe Casper Dream Max Hybrid is my favorite bed in the new Casper mattress lineup thanks to its accommodating feel and plush firmness profile It's the type of mattress that I gravitate toward as a primary side sleeper because it offers a lot of pressure comfort and plenty of support as well because of the coils the Casper Dream Max has additional targeted support with its zoned support design The price will likely be a sticking point for a lot of people and the base model Dream Hybrid has a similar feel a more accommodating medium firmness and a more affordable price The base model Dream Hybrid will likely make more sense for anyone who isn't a strict side sleeper the extra softness from the Dream Max will be a welcome thing and you'll probably like it as much as I do The base model Dream is also much more affordable than the Dream Max, and in my opinion, it's the most accommodating mattress in the new Casper mattress lineup. How does the Dream Max Hybrid mattress compare to similar mattresses?Dream Max vs. Puffy Royal Hybrid: The Puffy Royal Hybrid is a premium softer mattress option that has a lot in common with the Dream Max both have zoned support designs (I think the Dream Max is more targeted however) and are both supportive hybrids.  The Royal Hybrid uses a bit more memory foam in its construction and has a more memory foam type of feel in comparison to the Dream Max although it's not overwhelming.  Dream Max vs. Purple Restore Premier: The Purple Restore Premier is the highest-end mattress in its "Restore" collection of mattresses It comes in two firmness options and the soft model is similar to the Dream Max and is geared toward side sleepers Both beds also have coils and reinforced edge support and are in a similar price range.  Where the Dream Max and Purple differ is in feel The top comfort layer of the Purple Restore Premier is a special material only found on Purple gel-like feel that can't be found anywhere else and the feel of the Dream Max is much "safer." the cover on the Casper Dream Max Hybrid does include a zipper thanks to its two-layer zoned support design that provides more support where you need it most Casper beds are designed to work on a firm It is recommended to use a solid or slatted foundation Casper Ruud has finally earned the title he has been chasing for so long who before Sunday had lost all six major finals he had contested uncorked the biggest trophy of his career by beating British tennis player Jack Draper 7-5 one of the men known on the circuit for always falling just short of success finally got the afternoon of glory he deserved The Norwegian had lost all three Grand Slam finals he had entered where he came within one set of becoming world number one He also lost his two previous Masters 1000 finals in Miami 2022 against Alcaraz and in Monte Carlo 2024 against Stefanos Tsitsipas as well as the final of the Masters Tournament in 2023 against Djokovic it was logical that the betting was on Draper one of the most exciting players of the season winner of a Masters 1000 this season in Indian Wells and already ranked second best of the year behind Alcaraz He had everything against him in a first set in which the Briton with a great serve and an outstanding forehand that has been working very well in Madrid had 5-3 in favour to take advantage in the final he had little to do against Draper and focused on exploiting his strengths namely resistance and passing more balls than anyone else and little by little he was weakening Draper who in the blink of an eye left the 5-3 behind to lose the set 5-7 who had not lost a single set in these two weeks in Madrid and who now needed a comeback if he wanted to win a second Masters 1000 and confirm that he is also dangerous on clay In the second set he proved that he was better in the important moments forcing a third set to be held in the Manolo Santana stadium The tournament would end in the best possible way And Ruud was the one who had more energy left Although the Briton resisted the first few rounds Ruud got the break at 2-2 and didn't let it go until the end Any glimpse of nerves about being in front of the biggest reward of his life Ruud scared him off with two brutal forehands to confirm it and look at his bench with a face that said: "I told you I would get it" I knew I was going to need my best tennis today and luckily I played a great match Now all that's left is to keep going," said the Norwegian who succeeds Andrey Rublev in the rankings and will appear in Monday's rankings as the new world number seven up eight places from the start of the tournament Thanks to everyone for trusting me," added the Rafael Nadal Academy alumnus Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados Ruud’s frustration stemmed from a spectator in the crowd who was repeatedly disturbing him between his first and second serves. Despite the ongoing disruptions, the chair umpire failed to intervene or issue a warning, prompting a confrontation with Ruud. “Have you seen anyone do it before my opponent’s serve?” asked an irritated and angry Ruud as he walked up to the chair umpire. “How many times can they scream before I demand something?” “How many seconds do I wait to do the second serve and ask for a replay if he does it again and again?” said Ruud as the chair umpire tried to calm him down, all while the crowd was whistling and jeering in the background. Although the Madrid crowd is not known to be disruptive, Cerundolo had several Argentinian fans who had flocked in numbers to support their countryman. They were doing anything and everything possible to urge Cerundolo on after he lost a closely contested first set. The 2025 Madrid Open has not been short of drama, and chair umpires seem to have been in the thick of it. Ruud eventually went on to wrap the topsy-turvy match up in straight sets 6-4, 7-5. Ruud also had a medical timeout early into the match, for a sharp pain he felt in his shoulder. He said he will be consulting a doctor to analyze the depth of the injury and confirm if he manages to compete at the Madrid final. Arjun Sharma Author which was also his maiden Masters 1000 title The 26-year-old defeated British number one Jack Draper in an enthralling final of the Madrid Open in the Spanish capital At the start of the first set in the Madrid Open final Jack Draper earned an early break before taking a 5-3 lead winning four points in a row to take the opener 7-5 Draper wasn’t happy with himself after losing the first set and he went on to recover well in the second set Casper Ruud was exceptional in the very beginning breaking Jack Draper’s serve to take a 3-2 lead before he managed to serve it out he also became the first player from Norway to clinch a Masters 1000 title in his career and the future is expected to be quite bright for him as he is entering the peak of his career Following his win in the final of the Madrid Open Casper Ruud was quite appreciative of Jack Draper for his performances in the tournament coming close to winning the ATP Tour clay court title for the first-time in his career “I knew that Jack has been playing so well all year “This sport is brutal but I will keep trying I thought there was a lot of good stuff but in a couple of key moments I felt like his level maintained and mine maybe just dipped off a little bit Not quite getting over the line helps fuel my fire a bit more that I need to keep on pushing MI vs GT Dream11 Prediction: Dream11 top captain and vice-captain choices for MI vs GT Match 56 of IPL 2025 What is IPL Super Sixes competition and how it is played? 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