Casper Ruud commended Stefanos Tsitsipas after being defeated by him in the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters final. The Norwegian had only reached a Masters 1000 title match for the second time in his career after winning against Novak Djokovic with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 score. Tsitsipas played exceptionally well, securing his third title in Monte-Carlo with a 6-1, 6-4 victory.
The Greek player had previously dropped out of the Top 10 in ATP rankings, but will now make a comeback due to his success in Monaco. During the trophy presentation ceremony, Ruud praised Tsitsipas by calling him a fantastic player and stating that he was back where he belonged in the Top 10.
The win at the Monte-Carlo Masters marked Tsitsipas’ first title since the 2023 Los Cabos Open. Prior to defeating Ruud, he had also triumphed over Laslo Djere, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Alexander Zverev, Karen Khachanov, and Jannik Sinner. Tsitsipas has won 17 out of 23 matches this season and also reached the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open in Acapulco.
The Monte-Carlo Masters final was the fourth meeting between Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas, with their head-to-head now standing at 2-2. Their first match took place in the 2021 Madrid Open, with Ruud winning 7-6(4), 6-4. They also faced each other in the Canadian Open quarterfinals that year, with Tsitsipas winning 6-1, 6-4. Their third encounter happened in the Los Cabos Open semifinals, and Ruud emerged victorious with a 6-4, 7-6(4) score before eventually losing to Jordan Thompson in the final.