Casper Ruud’s Olympic journey reached new heights on Wednesday as he notched his 250th career victory and became the first Norwegian tennis player to reach the singles quarterfinals at the Games.
The 23-year-old Norwegian overcame Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-fought round-of-16 clash. Ruud’s triumph marked a significant milestone in his career, making him only the second player born in 1998 or later to achieve 250 career wins, after Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Ruud’s success at the Olympics is a testament to his impressive form on clay courts. He has won 19 of his last 22 matches at Stade Roland Garros, where the Olympic Tennis Event is being held. His run includes back-to-back finals at the French Open in 2022 and 2023, as well as a semifinal appearance in 2024.
In the quarterfinals, Ruud will face another rising star, Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada. Auger-Aliassime also made history for his country by becoming the first Canadian tennis player to reach the singles quarterfinals at the Olympics.
Auger-Aliassime’s victory over Daniil Medvedev, the world No. 5, was his 16th career win over a Top 10 player. He will be looking to extend his impressive record against Ruud, whom he defeated in straight sets in the fourth round of the Madrid Masters earlier this year.
The quarterfinal clash between Ruud and Auger-Aliassime promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the most promising young players in the game. Ruud will be aiming to continue his impressive run at the Olympics and make history as the first Norwegian to reach the semifinals.
