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In last year’s U.S. Open men’s tennis final, Casper Ruud of Norway was a point and a set away from becoming both a Grand Slam tournament champion and world No. 1. He fell just short, with the crown and the ranking going to Spain’s teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz. Still, Ruud had many things with which to console himself at the conclusion of a remarkable season.
Reaching a career-high No. 2 ranking. Three more tournament titles. A runner-up finish to his idol, the legendary Rafael Nadal, at the 2022 French Open. And golf – lots and lots of golf.
Casper’s father, Christian, took up the game with a vengeance when injuries ended his pro tennis career early, and he got his young son into it, too. Christian still coaches Casper, 24, on the court; on the course, they manage to compete tooth-and-nail while still keeping it fun – no mean feat for anyone, never mind a father and son. Only Casper’s golf-specific Instagram (@casper_golfer) has suffered. “I’ve played 11 or 12 rounds in the last month, but the competition has gotten so serious lately that we forget to film and take pictures,” he said.
His decision to pursue pro tennis has proven a good one, as $13 million and counting in earnings and 9
career titles to date would attest. Still, Ruud sometimes thinks maybe he should have gone the other way.
“[In golf] you get to travel around and play the nicest courses in the world,” Ruud said. “Sometimes I dream that I could play in a tournament on the PGA Tour or European tour. A sponsor’s exemption – that would be a dream moment for me.
“It would be awesome to see how far I could go in golf,” he continued. “I don’t think about seriously… But, sometimes, you overcome yourself.”
Tell us about your start in golf.
My father picked up golf in his teens. His professional tennis career ended quite early, around 30, and from there he played a lot of golf. He’d sometimes bring me to the course or range, starting when I was about 3 or 4. From then on, I always loved swinging the club. At 13, I decided to focus on tennis, that I wanted to be a professional. I only played about 4 or 5 rounds a year for the next 4 or 5 years. But since about age 17, I’ve been playing golf as much as I can, watching a lot of events on TV, and trying to become better by watching the pros.
Your father, once No. 39 in the world, was the best-ever Norwegian tennis player before you. Were you at all worried about following in his footsteps?
I felt pressure and people being interested in what I’d do. But I always looked at it more as an advantage to have someone close to me who knew what the sport and the circuit were about. Norway isn’t known for tennis players or golfers.
When you got back into golf, had anything changed for you?
As a kid my typical round would be about 13 or 14 holes around par, and then 4 or 5 big screw-up holes – triples and quadruples. Lately, I’ve been playing more conservatively, trying to not make worse than
bogey. I’ve been getting more serious about trying to score. When I was younger, I’d go for any shot – driver off the deck even if there was water left and right, because I didn’t care if I pulled it off one out of 10 times. It was just for fun.
What’s the golf season like in Norway?
We can only play 4-5 months of the year. There are usually three good months. The weather lets you play maybe five months, but the conditions aren’t great that first and last month.
You still play golf mostly with your dad, right? And we hear it’s not just for giggles.
With my dad, and a friend of mine who travels with us. This year, the three of us decided to write down what we shoot every round, so we have a scoring average for the season. It’s getting pretty tense, honestly. The level is close, and very competitive. We have a lot of fun, but we feel the pressure, because we want to beat each other. Currently, I’m leading, with a scoring average around 77.
How much pressure did you feel in last year’s U.S. Open final against Carlos Alcaraz, with the title and the top spot in the world on the line?
I was a little surprised by the fact that I didn’t really feel that much pressure. Alcaraz was on a roll, and I felt that he had more pressure, even if we were both playing for the same thing. I played freely. You feel nerves, obviously, just like when you step on the tee toward the end of the round where if you hit the fairway, you have a chance to make birdie. When you’re playing tennis, you’re running around. You only get split seconds to think, and you’re doing things on instinct. You don’t have as much time to get nervous as you do in golf. I felt like I played a great match, but so did he. I’m proud that I did my best.
Which sport do you think is tougher mentally and emotionally, golf or tennis?
In some ways, tennis is tougher; in others, golf is. In tennis, you have two serves – it’s like a mulligan every point. But I can play a great match against Novak Djokovic, lose 7-5, 7-5, and my tournament’s over. If Rickie Fowler plays with Justin Thomas in the second round, and Rickie shoots 6 under and Justin shoots 7 under, it doesn’t mean that Rickie has lost the tournament. He’s still in contention. In tennis, if you lose, even if it’s close, you’re out. Playing well and losing in tennis and getting knocked out of the tournament can be very frustrating.
Are your tennis skills only helpful on the course or are they sometimes a hindrance, with different swing planes, swing mechanics and so on?
I feel like the eye-hand coordination means I can transfer things to the golf course. Hitting a chip shot when you’ve short-sided yourself, it’s like a drop shot. You have to carry it a certain distance. I know how to shape shots in tennis, and that helps on the golf course – I can hit a fade and a draw.
Are there other tennis pros you play golf with?
I’ve played a couple of rounds with Rafa. He’s even better than me, a very serious golfer. And I’ve played 5-6 rounds with a good friend of mine, William Blumberg, who’s a doubles player ranked around 100. He’s shot from 7 under to 2 under every time we played, except when he shot 4 over with me at Seminole. But I have so much fun with my dad and my friend, we tend to play all our rounds together.
Have you played with either of golf’s two great Norwegians, Suzann Pettersen or Viktor Hovland?
I haven’t. I remember watching Suzann in an exhibition at a nice club in Oslo when I was much younger. She’s always been a big sportswoman in Norway – she put Norway on the map in a very big sport. I’ve always looked up to her. Hovland and I went to high school together for a couple of years before he went off to college. We were supposed to play last summer, but something came up for him at the last minute. As an athlete myself, I know how busy the days can get. But if it happens, I’m sure it would be fun. I follow him [on social media] because I love golf. I’m not sure if he loves tennis as much as I love golf, but he does send me messages sometimes. He’s a great guy.
Do you travel with clubs?
Whenever we go to the States, we bring our own clubs, so that there are no excuses for whoever loses. Also, I have a pretty customized setup – my driver is an inch and a half shorter than standard, for example, so I don’t feel comfortable when I have to rent clubs.
You won the ATP Tour’s sportsmanship award last year. Why is that important to you… and does it translate to your golf?
Tennis starts young – you might be competing at 9 or 10 – and I used to cry and throw rackets and get frustrated. I’ve learned over the years that every match is going to take a huge amount of energy and focus. I’d rather not waste energy being angry at myself. I might scream every so often. But breaking a racket – when you make a mistake, it’s not the racket’s fault, it’s your fault. There are many people in the world who can’t afford a racket. For you to be on the court as a role model and smash a racket to pieces, it’s not a good look. On the golf course, I’ve helicoptered a club or two, but I’ve never snapped or broken one yet.
