"The advertising budget is $6";"What in the world is this" - Fans stumped by 'weird' promo for Casper Ruud vs Holger Rune's 2024 exhibition

Casper Ruud is set to face Holger Rune in their home countries later this year at an exhibition event titled "Nordic Battle 2024." A recently released promo for the event sparked a mix of amusement, confusion, and disappointment among fans.

The Nordic Battle promotional video adopted a style similar to the recent cinematic Six Kings Slam trailer. It opened with stormy waters as the narrator asked, “Who is the real Viking of the Nordics?”

The scene then shifted to a ship with a Norwegian flag, featuring an AI-generated version of Ruud screaming but without a voice, followed by a similar scene for Rune on a Danish-flagged ship.

Rune shared the video on his X account, where many fans commented on what they perceived as a lack of creativity or budget in the production.

One fan wrote:

"I'm crying, the advertising budget is 6 Dollar"

"What in the world is this"

"What in the AI. We need that Arab money," another fan wrote.

One fan was critical, questioning the quality of the promo and the marketing strategy behind it. They wrote:

"Such pathetic marketing deserves such a pathetic response, sorry for Casper, thought he knew better."

One fan felt it was overly dramatic for the typically calm Ruud, they noted that it felt out of sync with his usual image. They wrote:

"To see gentle, quiet Casper screaming is, um, weird."

Another fan joked that they were caught off guard by the video's odd aesthetic and production choices. They wrote:

"I BURST OUT LAUGHING IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS WTF IS THIS"

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Casper Ruud and Holger Rune were bitter rivals before agreeing to play at the Nordic Battle 2024 exhibition

Casper Ruud (R) and Holger Rune at the 2023 French Open (Image: Getty)

Casper Ruud and Holger Rune’s rivalry took a heated turn during a high-stakes quarterfinal clash at the 2022 French Open. The then-19-year-old Rune lost to Ruud in four sets.

However, the tension spilled over after the match with a terse handshake, after which Rune claimed Ruud had shouted “YES!” in his face in the locker room. Ruud’s father denied this, prompting Rune’s mother to back her son, saying Ruud’s father could not know as he was not present.

When asked on social media why he did not show more "sportsmanship" in his handshake, Rune fueled the drama by saying he “only hugs friends.”

However, the tension between the two eventually cooled and they’ve since formed a friendship. Now, the pair will bring their on-court chemistry to the Nordic Battle 2024. The first match in the exhibition will take place on November 30 at the Varner Arena in Asker, while the second match will be played at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen on December 3.