Ruud: “If you don’t bring your A-game at UTS, it’s game over for you”
UTS: Casper, when did you first hear about UTS and what were your initial feelings?
Casper Ruud: I think the first time was during COVID (2020, editor’s note), when you had the first edition at the Mouratoglou Academy. Honestly, I wasn’t really focusing on tennis at that moment—or rather, there wasn’t much to watch. I was doing other things in my spare time. I just saw some points and heard about the rules and thought: “This is complete chaos.”
UTS: Did you think it was that crazy?
Casper Ruud: Too many cards, you know, “if you come to the net, you get an extra point,” and so on. But then you structured it a bit more. You didn’t get rid of the cards, but you organized the way they are used. Then I tried to play it myself, and it was really fun. In the end it’s so intense because you have less time between points and you’re playing based on minutes, which is something we never do in regular tennis. We usually play until the game or the match is finished, whether it takes one hour or four.
Interviewer: How does that “against the clock” thing change the strategy?
Casper Ruud: It’s stressful to play on the clock. You start to feel how football players feel when they are leading; you can use the time to your advantage. You can play longer points if you want to run the clock down, or use a good lead towards the end of the quarter to pressure the opponent. It completely changes the dynamic. I’ve found it really fun from the first time I played, so I try to join the editions that fit my schedule.
Interviewer: What is a typical feeling you have on court at UTS that you don’t experience as a regular tennis player?
Casper Ruud: I would say it’s more stressful because your pulse stays higher throughout the whole quarter. There’s almost no rest time between points. For instance, if your opponent is serving, they can serve after only five seconds and you have to be ready. I’ve had a few points where I tried to stress my opponent, but I ended up getting too stressed myself and missed the return or the next shot. It’s tough. If you finish a long rally and you’re the one serving, you can start again in five seconds. I like the rule, but it’s a “stressful” like. You never feel that on the ATP Tour where the pace is slower.
Interviewer: And what about the relationship with the fans?
Casper Ruud: Oh, it’s much louder. That’s another feeling you only get here: music between points and a loud crowd during the points. They can cheer, scream, or be silent—they can do whatever they want because there are no strict rules for the crowd. As a player, you can show even more emotion without being afraid of getting a warning or a fine.
Interviewer: Andrey Rublev said in Hong Kong that UTS is only about tennis. Either you bring your A-game, or you just can’t make the result. How do you react?
Casper Ruud: I agree. At UTS, you only have one serve, which leads to more rallies. You have to play more points from the baseline. On the ATP Tour, if you’re having a bad day from the baseline but serving well, you can sometimes “slug” your way through a match. At UTS, if you don’t play your best from the baseline, you will most likely lose because the matches are so quick—around 35 to 40 minutes. If you don’t bring your “A-game” for that specific window, it’s game over.
Interviewer: You seem very comfortable here now.
Casper Ruud: I’m playing “full” every point here. It’s still an adjustment getting used to some of the rules, and for some people, it might not look like “real” tennis, but it is. We are playing every point to win it. It’s a great format to challenge ourselves in a new way.
