{"id":476332,"date":"2026-02-18T19:01:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/476332\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T19:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:01:09","slug":"casper-ruud-new-father-returns-in-delray-beach-to-win-matches-and-see-if-i-can-play-for-more-than-myself-atp-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/476332\/","title":{"rendered":"Casper Ruud, new father, returns in Delray Beach \u2018to win matches and see if I can play for more than myself\u2019 | ATP Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Casper Ruud
\n Ruud, new father, returns \u2018to win matches and see if I can play for more than myself\u2019 <\/p>\n

Former World No. 2 competes for the first time since he and his fianc\u00e9e Maria welcomed their daughter<\/p>\n

February 18, 2026<\/p>\n

\"Casper<\/p>\n

Martin Keep \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

Casper Ruud reached the fourth round at the Australian Open last month.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n

Casper Ruud<\/a> won\u2019t have to look far for extra motivation as he begins his debut campaign at the Delray Beach Open<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n

Just weeks after he and his fianc\u00e9e Maria welcomed the birth of their first child, a daughter, the Norwegian arrives in Florida carrying more than racquets and expectations. He brings with him the life-altering joy of new fatherhood and, ahead of his opening match against Marcos Giron<\/a> at the ATP 250 hard-court event, Ruud reflected to the media on the emotional whirlwind that has reshaped his world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an incredibly emotional moment,\u201d Ruud said. \u201cI think for anyone who has become a parent, it\u2019s an incredible feeling and hard to explain with words.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited for the future. This is just the beginning of 20 to 25 years of taking care of her. It\u2019s fun and exciting, I will try to use it as motivation and try to remember that you\u2019ve travelled this far and being away from her, you might as well try your best and play some good tennis while you\u2019re at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ruud had already gathered momentum this season by reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open<\/a> before he returned home to Norway, where he announced his daughter\u2019s arrival at the end of January. Now, the challenge shifts from balancing backhands to balancing life on Tour with life as a new father.<\/p>\n

The early-season hard-court swing will test that balance. Delray Beach marks the first stop in a stretch that also includes the ATP 500 in Acapulco and ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.<\/p>\n

For Ruud, the former No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, the miles may feel longer than before.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be a tough trip, because it won\u2019t be that easy for them to come over here and I will miss them and at times feel homesick,\u201d Ruud said. \u201cI\u2019ll do my best and see if I can end the hard-court swing, for a while, on a good note before we head back to Europe and start the clay season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will be the goal for these couple of weeks and months coming up, [starting] here, then Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami: To win some matches and see if I can play for more than myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u201cATP\"\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Ruud begins that run in a strong Delray Beach field that features two-time champion Taylor Fritz<\/a> and reigning Next Gen ATP Finals titlist Learner Tien<\/a>.<\/p>\n

First up for the second-seeded Ruud is Giron on Wednesday, with their Lexus ATP Head2Head series locked at 2-2. While much has changed in his personal life, he is confident his tennis foundations remain intact.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy forehand still feels pretty similar to before, and my backhand as well,\u201d Ruud joked. \u201cI haven\u2019t got an overuse of my arm yet. I haven\u2019t carried her too much yet!\u201d<\/p>\n

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