Ruud resets after rain to book Rome semi-final spot
A two-hour delay threatened to derail Casper Ruud’s rhythm on the Roman clay, yet the Norwegian rebuilt his length and spin to outlast Karen Khachanov and reach the last four.
Casper Ruud returned to the semi-finals at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome on Wednesday, when he overcame a mid-match resurgence from Karen Khachanov and the Italian rain to earn a 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 win.
“I was happy with the win,” Ruud said in his on-court interview. “A little down period in the second after the rain, but I am proud of the first and third sets. The quality I played with in the first and third sets is some of the best I have felt on court recently. I am not quite sure what happened in the second set but I let myself go and tried to focus on the third set and luckily that worked.”
Delay tests early-set command
Play halted at the start of the second set with Ruud leading 6-1, 0-1 after he had dictated from the baseline on the slow red clay of Campo Centrale. The two-hour, 25-minute stoppage let Karen Khachanov regroup and return with sharper intent, striking 11 winners and only one unforced error to steal the set in six games.
Upon resumption the 29-year-old raised his first-strike percentage and stepped inside the baseline more aggressively. Ruud absorbed the shift without panic, knowing the surface rewards depth over raw pace once the balls begin to grip.
Third-set patterns restore forward tempo
Ruud answered by tightening his one–two patterns and mixing crosscourt heavy topspin with occasional inside-out forehands that pinned Karen Khachanov deep behind the baseline. A spectacular tweener in the fourth game lifted the crowd and re-established the Norwegian’s forward momentum after the interruption.
He added slice on second serves to vary pace and kept the ball heavy enough that the 29-year-old could no longer dictate exchanges. The adjustments produced a controlled 6-2 decider and showed how quickly surface considerations reward players who adjust after breaks in play.
Ruud, who fell out of the Top 20 earlier this month for the first time since 2021, is seeking a quick return. He is up five spots to No. 20 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings following his run to the semi-finals, which has included straight-sets wins over Zachary Svajda, Jiri Lehecka and Lorenzo Musetti in the Italian capital.
Ranking climb fuels title pursuit
Those earlier victories built quiet confidence on the slower surface, where consistent depth and selective slice kept opponents from dictating exchanges. The psychological weight of the ranking slide added urgency to every service game, turning routine holds into statements of intent.
Ruud is chasing his second title at this level after winning Madrid last season and will next play Spaniard Rafael Jodar or Luciano Darderi. If the 27-year-old advances, he will reach the Rome final for the first time. The left-handed variety of Luciano Darderi and the aggressive baseline game of Rafael Jodar will test whether the same length and spin adjustments continue to pay dividends on this particular clay.
