Ruud, Norway's rising tennis star, is once again heading to the senior men's singles final, however, the wheel of fortune seems to be spinning in front of him as a painting of ice. In the Acapulco 500, he was swept by defending champion De Minaur and became a witness to the success of his opponent's title defense, while also setting a personal record of shame once again - Ruud has suffered six consecutive defeats in the men's singles final at a higher level than the 250. The fiasco not only cost him the title, but also made his rise in the rankings even more embarrassing. For the youngster, he may be going through growing pains and exploring the twists and turns of how to make his mark at the senior level.
Ruud's journey began at the Miami Masters in 2022, when he nearly swept his opponents to reach the senior men's singles final. However, against Alcaraz, who was not yet in the top 10 at the time, Ruud suffered a rout in the final, missing out on the first senior men's singles title. The defeat seemed to open Ruud's exclusive "Pandora's box", and since then, he has suffered frequent setbacks in Grand Slam and Masters finals.
In 2022, Ruud has won three consecutive 250 men's singles titles in Buenos Aires, Geneva and Gstaad, showing strong strength. However, losing all four major finals became a major disgrace for his career. Luckily, Ruud was at least dominant in the 250 class, but that didn't allow him to escape the slump of the senior finals.
In the men's singles final of the 2023 French Open, Ruud once again missed a historic moment. Against Djokovic, he could barely put up an effective resistance and was defeated 3-0. As Novak Djokovic celebrates his 23rd Grand Slam men's singles title, Ruud can only smile and signal the brilliance of his rival, with despair and politeness intertwined into a mixed picture.
In the 2024 season, Ruud has added two runners-up to his resume, namely the men's singles final of the Masters and the year-end finals. Despite reaching the finals at different levels, he was unable to change his fortunes in the finals of the tournament. In the men's singles final of the Acapulco 500 tournament, Ruud suffered another defeat, which became another chapter in his six-game losing streak in the high-level finals.
Even more regrettable, Ruud was unable to maintain his dominance in the 250 class. In the men's singles final of the Los Cabos 250 tournament, he lost 0-2 to Thompson and missed out on the title. Previously, he also lost 0-2 to Rublev in the men's singles final of the Bastad 250 tournament. This makes Ruud, who once held 10 250 men's singles championships, difficult to keep even the glory of the "King of 250".
This series of defeats not only accumulated Ruud's record of shame in terms of numbers, but also put him under pressure against higher-level matches. He may be thinking about how to find his breakthrough at the top level and adapt to the rhythm of his top opponents. Ruud's tennis journey has been full of twists and turns and setbacks, but it's experiences like this that could be the cornerstone of his future success.
In the men's singles final of the Acapulco 500, Ruud reached a small milestone of his own, bringing together the experience of finals at all levels of the tour. However, this milestone is not the pinnacle of achievement, but a new starting point, a beginning that carries a heavy history.
Against defending champion De Minaur, Ruud was not without fighting spirit. At the start of the match, he showed the courage of a newborn calf who was not afraid of tigers, and even gained the upper hand in the opening stages of the second set. However, this advantage was short-lived. With a cunning counterattack from the little hare De Minaur, Ruud's lead was fleeting. With two 4-6s, Ruud was finally swept in his first 500 men's singles final, paving the way for De Minauer's second 500 men's singles title in his career.
The result of this match was like a tragic battle, which not only revealed the difference in strength on the court, but also left a new mark in the miserable experience of Ruud's high-level men's singles final. In the 2022 season of the Miami Masters, Ruud almost swept all the way, but was defeated when facing Alcaraz, who was not yet in the top 10 at the time, and missed out on the first senior men's singles title. The defeat seemed to open his own "Pandora's box", and in the following Grand Slam and Masters finals, Ruud lost in the French Open, US Open and year-end finals one after another, like a nightmare.
In 2023, Ruud faced the mighty Djokovic again in the men's singles final of the French Open, but could hardly put up some resistance and was defeated 0-3. He stood helplessly on the sidelines, watching his opponent enjoy the honor of "historic crown", smiling and expressing his opponent's victory and his helplessness to lose again. At this moment, Ruud's journey seems to be portrayed into an awkward and silent picture by the waves.
And this season, Ruud's road to shame has not yet come to an end. In the 500 Men's Singles final, he hit the wall of defeat again, leaving one wondering what the young player will have to pay at a high level to break through this predicament of history and pressure.
At the same time, the men's singles final of the 250 tournament has also become Ruud's battlefield, but it is not a palace of victory. In the previous Los Cabos 250 men's singles final, he lost the championship after a strong performance against Thompson. In the Bastad 250 men's singles final, he also failed to escape Rublev's control, suffering two consecutive defeats in the 250 men's singles final, which makes people wonder whether Ruud, who was once crowned the "king of 250", is ushering in a low point.
All this makes Ruud's career no longer just a bloom of honor, but also a string of regrets that cannot be erased. His successes and failures are intertwined with a real and cruel picture, showing the twists and turns of growth. Perhaps, Ruud will need more time and more challenges to find the key moment that can tear through the embarrassing veil of the high-level final.
Looking at Ruud's career, the back-to-back defeats in the senior men's singles final have made people feel sorry for the Norwegian. His defeat in the men's singles final of the 500 tournament made it even more challenging and psychologically burdensome. Despite his success in the 250 class, he struggled to break through at the higher levels, which became an insurmountable obstacle in his career.
Perhaps, Ruud will need to examine his game strategy, mentality and ability to cope with pressure. The enormous competition and pressure of high-level events requires players to reach a higher level of technical, mental and physical fitness. Although Ruud is young, it is in such frustrations that he grows and looks for the direction of improvement and promotion.
In the process, Ruud may discover his deeper potential, so as to overcome the burden of history and achieve a higher level of achievement. Shame is not the end, but a new beginning, a necessary path for a player's growth. In the coming competitions, Ruud may be able to turn these setbacks into motivation and find the key to adapt to high-level competitions and put on a better performance.
For fans and spectators alike, Ruud's career has been full of anticipation and uncertainty. His experience shows us that success in the world of competitive sports is not always easy, but requires constant self-improvement, constant adjustment and improvement. Perhaps it is all this that makes Ruud's story even more compelling, and his future performances will also be one of the focus of attention in the tennis world.