Casper Ruud is through to the semifinals of the Italian Open after grinding out a hard-fought 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 victory over Karen Khachanov on Wednesday — a match that tested the Norwegian’s mental toughness as much as his tennis ability.
The Rome encounter was anything but straightforward. Ruud was leading a set and trailing by a single game in the second when a heavy downpour brought proceedings to a halt, forcing players and fans to wait out a rain delay of more than two hours. When the match eventually resumed, Khachanov found his rhythm quickly and levelled the contest, making for a tense final set.
But Ruud held his nerve. The 27-year-old Norwegian came out sharp in the decider and ultimately closed out the match with authority, booking his place in the last four. It is his first Masters 1000 semifinal since he lifted the title in Madrid last year — a milestone that underlines just how important clay remains to his overall game.
Ruud now holds an extraordinary 139 wins on clay since the start of the 2020 season — the most of any player on tour during that period. That record speaks volumes about his consistency on the red dirt, and his performance in Rome suggests he is hitting form at exactly the right time heading into Roland Garros.
Casper Ruud Eyes Italian Open Final as Quarter-Final Drama Unfolds in Rome
Speaking after the match, Ruud was candid about the disruption caused by the rain. “A little bit of a down period in the second set when we came back after the rain,” he admitted, but quickly pointed to the positives. “The quality that I played in the first and third sets is probably some of the best I felt on court recently,” he added — words that will concern whoever faces him next.
In the semifinals, Ruud will face either Rafael Jodar or Luciano Darderi. Jodar is familiar with the big stage, though he was knocked out in the Madrid quarterfinals by Jannik Sinner earlier this month. Darderi, on the other hand, is the man of the moment in Italian tennis right now.
Luciano Darderi — born in Argentina but representing Italy — has produced the biggest result of his professional career this week by knocking out second seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The crowd at the Foro Italico is firmly behind him, and the emotional energy of playing on home soil could make him a dangerous opponent for anyone remaining in the draw.
The Italian Open continues to deliver drama and unpredictability, with both established stars and emerging challengers making their mark in Rome. For South African tennis fans watching the clay-court season unfold ahead of the French Open, the form of players like Ruud offers a fascinating preview of what to expect at Roland Garros.
Ruud’s semifinal run in Rome is a timely reminder that when he is playing at his best on clay, he belongs firmly among the contenders for the biggest titles on the surface. Whether he can go all the way this week in Rome remains to be seen, but based on the quality he showed in the first and third sets against Khachanov, few will be keen to face him across the net.