Casper Ruud has admitted it was \u2018pretty tough\u2019 to walk up stairs after suffering a calf injury at the Monte-Carlo Masters, just days before his Madrid Open title defence, and revealed key Rafael Nadal advice.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian was forced to retire from his third-round match in the Principality at 7-5, 2-2 against Felix Auger-Aliassime after appearing to struggle with significant leg discomfort.<\/p>\n
Ruud subsequently withdrew from the following week\u2019s Barcelona Open, an event he won in 2024.<\/p>\n
The consequences of the calf injury were heightened by the fact that he is defending 1,000 ranking points at the Madrid Open, a tournament he remains committed to playing.<\/p>\n
If the three-time Grand Slam finalist had skipped the event, he would have fallen outside the world\u2019s top 25.<\/p>\n
Last season, he defeated Brit Jack Draper 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the Spanish capital to claim his maiden Masters 1000 title.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard to feel, hard to know what it was, because it is the first time I\u2019ve felt something like this pain or instant pain in my calf,\u201d said Ruud during his pre-tournament interview with Tennis TV.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was kind of slightly worried, but also maybe thinking it was cramp, like the muscle just cramped up a bit, was a pretty intense match with some long rallies so maybe just cramped up a bit, but it turned out it wasn\u2019t just a cramp.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t really get any better as I tried on for a couple of games and I decided to stop before it got too bad.<\/p>\n
\u201cTook some exams or some pictures of it and it was just a small little strain in the calf, but it felt like the muscle just kind of, not imploded but went together and I really, really felt it in the calf.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was unfortunate I couldn\u2019t play Barcelona, needed some days of rest and when you get a small strain or a pull or rupture in the muscle you have to kind of take it easy for days and then you have to start training again, and make sure it grows and heals little by little, day by day and it\u2019s been going really well.\u201d<\/p>\n
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