1 week Ago By Yasmin Syed
The Madrid Open witnessed a unique family rematch when Casper Ruud and Sebastian Korda clashed on the court, echoing a 26-year-old history set by their fathers. Ruud's dad, Christian, once ranked world No. 39, squared off against Korda's father Petr, the 1998 Australian Open champion, at the 1999 Miami Open, with Christian securing the win.
Elsewhere at the Madrid Open, American star Ben Shelton destroyed an electronic advertising board before being knocked out - while Andrey Rublev was eliminated after throwing his racket in disgust . Tommy Fleetwood's wife makes her feelings clear on 23-year age gap PGA Tour set to axe controversial tournament rule after years of criticism At the Manolo Santana Stadium, nostalgia was in the air as Ruud and Korda stepped up for an epic generational faceoff. Although closely related in age, this marked the first ATP tour encounter between the current world No.
15 and the American player. This match carried the legendary backdrop of their dads' 1999 clash - a battle that occurred before Sebastian was born and when Casper was merely an infant. Christian defeated Petr, former world No.
2, with a convincing 6-2 7-6(6) scoreline back in Miami. On Madrid's clay, history repeated itself as Ruud sailed to a victory over Korda. Post-match, Ruud jokingly remarked on his mistaken belief about his father's prior Miami showdown.
"Honestly I thought he had lost to Petr before, so I was out here seeking revenge for the family, but this is an even better statistic for us," he said after winning 6-3 6-3. "We'll try to keep it alive for as long as possible. It's fun that you see certain situations like this where father and son have played and are doing well.
" Despite his current winning streak against Korda, Ruud acknowledges that it might not last indefinitely, especially with Sebastian's rising talent. He added: "I'm sure Sebi and I will play many more times in our career and I'll try my best to keep him behind me, but at some point I'm sure he will catch up or get a win over the Ruud family." Rudd is coached by his dad, while Korda has teamed up with coach Radek Stepanek, who was once mentored by Korda's father.
Ruud has secured his spot in the last 16 to face another American contender, fourth seed Taylor Fritz. Although Ruud typically excels on clay courts, this year has proven challenging for him on the surface. After a split outcome at the Monte-Carlo Masters and a quarterfinal exit at the Barcelona Open - where he was the defending champion - Ruud is determined to surpass his previous performances.
He reached the semifinals in Madrid on his first attempt in 2021 but hasn't made it past the fourth round since. His next test comes against Fritz, who progressed after Benjamin Bonzi withdrew from their match tied at one set apiece..
