Watch: Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud swap tennis racquets for golf clubs in Ryder Cup challenge ahead of Wimbledon 2023

Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz, two of the top tennis players in the world, decided to test their skills in a different sport ahead of their Wimbledon 2023 action. The duo took on a three-hole golf challenge at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the host of the Ryder Cup 2023, to see who would come out on top.

The challenge was inspired by the Ryder Cup, the biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. Ruud, who hails from Norway, represented Europe, while Fritz, who is from California, represented the US.

The challenge was posted on Youtube by the Wimbledon channel on Thursday, June 29, for the promotion of the upcoming Ryder Cup.

"Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz go head-to-head all in the name of continental pride and bragging rights as the two tennis aces take on 'The Ryder Cup Challenge'. Before their Wimbledon 2023 action, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club welcomed Ruud and Fritz as they play three holes to determine which player is king of the course!" the video description reads.

The challenge consisted of three holes, with each hole worth one point and the final hole worth two points. Ruud won the first hole with a par, while Fritz made a bogey. The second hole was a tie, with both players making bogeys.

The third hole was a par five, where both players had a chance to make an eagle or a birdie. Fritz made an impressive par putt, but Ruud clinched the victory with a birdie putt. Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud congratulated each other and joked about meeting again in Wimbledon.

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Taylor Fritz to face Yannick Hanfmann, Casper Ruud to face Laurent Lokoli in the Wimbledon opener

Casper Ruud (L) and Taylor Fritz (R)

Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud, who recently bonded over golf, will be back on the tennis court for the 2023 Wimbledon Championships that are set to begin on July 3, with some of the best tennis players in the world competing for the most prestigious title in the sport.

Fritz, the ninth seed, will face German player Yannick Hanfmann in his opening match. The American has been in impressive form last year, reaching the quarter-finals at The Championships in 2022, where he lost in a five-setter to Rafael Nadal.

Ruud, the fourth seed, will take on Frenchman Laurent Lokoli in his first-round encounter. The Norwegian has been dominant on clay, reaching two Roland-Garros finals. However, he is yet to make a deep run at Wimbledon, having lost in the first round in 2019 and 2021, and in the second round in 2022.