Ruud Shows No Mercy To Norrie In Easy San Diego Title Win, His 5th Trophy Of 2021

Casper Ruud is no longer just a clay specialist! After seven finals all on clay, Ruud made the most of his first championship match on hard courts by hammering Brit Cameron Norrie 6-0, 6-2.

Ruud, who wins his sixth career title, battled through a tough 3-set win in the semifinals over Grigor Dimitrov, but today the 22-year-old was in complete control.

Ruud’s five titles of 2021 are the most on tour, ahead of Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.

“It’s a fun thing to say it, but obviously Daniil and Novak have bigger titles, so I wouldn’t mind switching up with them if I had an opportunity to switch five 250s to three Slams and a 250 Novak has. It’s a bit higher level, but that’s fine. I think that’s more impressive obviously than five 250s, but I will take it,” Ruud said. “It would be fun to end the year with the most titles, I cannot lie about that.”

Ruud is also 5-0 in tour finals this year, 6-2 overall.

“I tried to be playing really good in finals knowing it’s now or never. This is the time to bring your ‘A’ game,” Ruud said. “This year I’ve been perfect in finals, five of five and playing against good players in all of them.”

Ruud beat three Top 30 players and also Andy Murray in the second round. Over the summer, Ruud won three straight titles taking Gstaad, Bastad and then Kitzbuhel but only defeated one player in 11 matches ranked in the Top 75.

Norrie, who drops to 1-5 in ATP finals, won a total of three points on his serve in the first set (one on his first serve!).

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