Ruud continues to pile up victories in Madrid

Casper Ruud isn't the most talked-about player on the circuit. He works, discreetly. He progresses, discreetly. He wins, discreetly.

As solid as ever, the Norwegian, ranked 6th in the world this week, got his tournament off to a perfect start. Without playing his best tennis, he made the difference when it mattered (6-4, 6-1 win over Kecmanovic).

Confident of his strengths, the two-time French Open finalist (2022, 2023) continues to build his confidence. In the next round, he faces a player he knows well: Cameron Norrie. Indeed, the Briton knocked out the world number 6 in the 3rd round of the Australian Open in January. Achieving a similar performance on the Norwegian's preferred surface will, however, be an altogether different challenge.

In any case, the statistics speak for Ruud. Since January, he has won the most matches on the ATP circuit (30). He plays a lot, but above all, he wins a lot. So, despite his silence, could Ruud sign up for a third consecutive final (after Monte-Carlo and Barcelona)?