Ruud extends winning streak on clay to 9, advances to Monte Carlo Masters 3rd round
2022 French Open runner-up earns straight-sets victory over van de Zandschulp
Fourth-seeded Casper Ruud extended his winning streak on clay to nine matches to reach the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday.
The 2022 French Open runner-up was made to work hard by Botic van de Zandschulp in his opening match at the Country Club before winning 7-5, 7-6 (1) on the slow surface.
Ruud has won the past two clay events he has played, in Gstaad last July and in Estoril last week.
Ruud, who saved one set point in the second set, will next be up against Jan-Lennard Struff, who defeated 14th-seeded Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-2.
When there's a will, there's a way 🤓<a href="https://twitter.com/CasperRuud98?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CasperRuud98</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ROLEXMCMASTERS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ROLEXMCMASTERS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolexMonteCarloMasters?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolexMonteCarloMasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/IszXSdK6IC">pic.twitter.com/IszXSdK6IC</a>
—@atptourAfter struggling with consistency at the start of the year in the wake of his best season, Ruud has found his confidence back on his best surface.
"It felt great last week in Estoril," he said. "It felt very comfortable. Today was at times a very good match, but at times a little rusty. There are a lot of positives to build on."
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev made a clinical start to his clay-court season, edging Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-2 to set up a meeting with 13th-seeded Alexander Zverev.
Among those advancing to the third round were seventh-seeded Jannik Sinner, No. 8 seed Taylor Fritz, and Lorenzo Musetti, who got past fellow Italian Luca Nardi 6-0, 6-0. The quick win earned Musetti the right to take on top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
Rafael Nadal and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the tournament last week. Nadal has won it a record 11 times, including an Open Era record streak of eight consecutive titles from 2005-12. But the 22-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined with a left hip flexor injury since the Australian Open.
