Four years ago, Casper Ruud won the second ATP tournament on Swedish soil, on the clay in Båstad.
But this was his first victory in the Royal Tennis Hall – and his first indoors on hardcourt – and this after a one-sided final.
It has been a small dream to win here. I have won Båstad before and now I have two titles in Sweden so it feels fantastic, says Casper Ruud to SVT.
The Norwegian offered the Stockholm audience dazzling tennis and ran over the Frenchman Ugo Humbert in two straight sets, 6–2, 6–3.
Above all, in his own serve game, Ruud was absolutely outstanding. The 26-year-old lost only three points in his own serve throughout the match.
It was a fantastic match from the first to the last point. Everything went in. And tactically it was also very good. I am incredibly pleased and will enjoy this now, says Ruud.
Ugo Humbert reached the final after winning the semi-final against Holger Rune on walkover, when the Dane injured himself. On Sunday, Rune confirmed that he had torn his Achilles tendon and will be away from tennis "for a while".
