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Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud, Carlos Alcaraz, and coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, recently continued their preparation for the 2024 US Open with a golf session.
Ruud, 25, achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 2 in September 2022 and has won 12 ATP Tour titles. Coached by his father and former tennis player Christian Ruud, he has also made three Grand Slam final appearances.
Casper Ruud recently posted a photo on Instagram with World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferraro at a golf course, ahead of the 2024 US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year. The men were dressed in golf shorts and polo t-shirts and posed with their golf clubs.
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"Golf? Now it’s time for some tennis," his caption read.
Alcaraz will look to add another Grand Slam to his name after lifting the 2024 Wimbledon and French Open, whereas Ruud will vie for his first Grand Slam title.
Ruud has finished runner-up at three majors, the 2022 and 2023 French Open and the 2022 US Open. He was ranked World No. 1 in doubles during his junior career.
The 25-year-old takes an interest in golf, a passion that his father instilled in him. Ruud's golf journey started when he was 3 or 4, accompanying his father to golf courses. Since then, he has been an avid golfer. Though he shifted his focus to playing tennis professionally, he often takes trips to golf courses.
Casper Ruud considered taking up golf as a career option
Ruud's father, Christian Ruud, was compelled to end his tennis career early in the wake of injuries. Later, he got his son into tennis but also took him to golf courses to teach and train him. Though Ruud has amassed decent career earnings in tennis, he sometimes wonders where golf would have taken him.
"[In golf] you get to travel around and play the nicest courses in the world. Sometimes I dream that I could play in a tournament on the PGA Tour or European tour. A sponsor’s exemption – that would be a dream moment for me. It would be awesome to see how far I could go in golf. I don’t think about seriously… But, sometimes, you overcome yourself," he said (via USGA).
At the 2024 US Open, Casper Ruud will enter the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York City alongside Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff, among others.
