Casper Ruud Withdraws from Mallorca Championships
Casper Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, has made the decision to withdraw from the upcoming Mallorca Championships, foregoing all grass-court events leading up to the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. The Norwegian tennis player has consistently expressed his aversion to grass surfaces, humorously noting that “grass is better suited for golf than tennis.” Given his lackluster performance on grass compared to his usual standards, this decision comes as no surprise, even though he initially planned to compete in Mallorca.
Injury Struggles and Recovery
Ruud’s recent difficulties stem from a knee injury that impacted his performance at Roland Garros. During his second-round match against Nuno Borges, the limitations of his condition became evident as he battled through visible discomfort in the latter sets.
In an update shared via the social media channels of the Mallorca Championships, he stated, “I’m back on-court training and my knee feels significantly better than it did a few weeks ago. However, it’s still not at a competitive level yet, which forces me to withdraw from Mallorca.”
Ruud expressed disappointment at missing the tournament, sharing,
“It’s disappointing because I really enjoy Mallorca, and I was looking forward to it. I need to prioritize my health, so I will continue to train in hopes of being match-ready for Wimbledon. Unfortunately, Mallorca just isn’t feasible right now.”
Looking Ahead
Ruud’s cautious approach to recovery is prudent, as participating in a tournament right before Wimbledon could worsen his injury and adversely affect his performance in the year’s third Grand Slam event. Following Wimbledon, he is scheduled to take part in the 2025 Gstaad Open.
Player Absences from Wimbledon
Ruud’s withdrawal adds to a growing list of notable player absences for Wimbledon this year. Nick Kyrgios has already confirmed that he will miss the entire grass-court season due to injury, while Sebastian Korda has opted out of Wimbledon without specifying reasons after his withdrawal from the Queen’s Club Championships. Additionally, Kei Nishikori from Japan will also be absent due to a recent injury, which has curtailed his recent run of injury-free performances since 2021.
