Ruud Makes Successful Debut in Madrid Against Rinderknech

Ruud won in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) against Rinderknech in his opening match in Madrid. After 1 hour and 13 minutes of play, the Norwegian triumphed over the Frenchman and advanced to the tournament's third round.

During the match, the player who recently dropped to 15th in the world rankings only had to save one break point. He also won 76% of his first-serve points. The two-time Roland-Garros finalist hopes to regain his best form after a disappointing performance in Barcelona, where he was the defending champion.

Meanwhile, Rinderknech had secured a victory against Safiullin in his first-round match. Still, he performed better than last year when he lost in the opening round.

To reach the round of 16, he will have to defeat the winner between Korda and Cina.