"That changed something in my mind and my tennis," Ruud recounts his turning point in Beijing

Casper Ruud arrives in Shanghai with confidence in his luggage. The Norwegian won three matches before pushing Carlos Alcaraz, the eventual tournament champion, in the semifinals.

However, the tournament had started poorly for him after losing the first set in his opening match against Shintaro Mochizuki. For him, that match helped him a lot afterward.

He states: "I played some very good matches. I felt good in San Francisco (at the Laver Cup), and it was very important for me to maintain that level of play in Beijing. I overcame the jet lag and the difficulty of the long journey.

Getting through that first tournament match, where I came close to defeat, changed something in my mind and in my tennis. Since then, I've had an excellent feeling and I'm very proud of myself.

I'm confident I can maintain this momentum for the rest of the season."

Ruud will make his debut in Shanghai against Zizou Bergs this Friday.