Casper Ruud, new father, returns in Delray Beach ‘to win matches and see if I can play for greater than myself’ | ATP Tour

Casper Ruud

Ruud, new father, returns ‘to win matches and see if I can play for greater than myself’

Former World No. 2 competes for the primary time since he and his fiancée Maria welcomed their daughter

February 18, 2026

Casper Ruud will not should look far for further motivation as he begins his debut marketing campaign on the Delray Beach Open this week.

Just weeks after he and his fiancée Maria welcomed the delivery of their first little one, a daughter, the Norwegian arrives in Florida carrying greater than racquets and expectations. He brings with him the life-altering pleasure of recent fatherhood and, forward of his opening match in opposition to Marcos Giron on the ATP 250 hard-court occasion, Ruud mirrored to the media on the emotional whirlwind that has reshaped his world.

“It was an incredibly emotional moment,” Ruud stated. “I feel for anybody who has turn into a mum or dad, it is an unimaginable feeling and exhausting to clarify with phrases.

“I’m excited for the future. This is just the beginning of 20 to 25 years of taking care of her. It’s fun and exciting, I will try to use it as motivation and try to remember that you’ve traveled this far and being away from her, you might as well try your best and play some good tennis while you’re at it.”

Ruud had already gathered momentum this season by reaching the fourth spherical of the Australian Open earlier than he returned house to Norway, the place he introduced his daughter’s arrival on the finish of January. Now, the problem shifts from balancing backhands to balancing life on Tour with life as a brand new father.

The early-season hard-court swing will check that steadiness. Delray Beach marks the primary cease in a stretch that additionally contains the ATP 500 in Acapulco and ATP Masters 1000 occasions in Indian Wells and Miami.

For Ruud, the previous No. 2 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings, the 1000’s could really feel longer than earlier than.

“It will be a tough trip, because it won’t be that easy for them to come over here and I will miss them and at times feel homesick,” Ruud stated. “I’ll do my finest and see if I can finish the hard-court swing, for some time, on a great word earlier than we head again to Europe and begin the clay season.

“That 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.”

Ruud begins that run in a powerful Delray Beach subject that options two-time champion Taylor Fritz and reigning Next Gen ATP Finals titleist Learner Tien.

First up for the second-seeded Ruud is Giron on Wednesday, with their Lexus ATP Head2Headvert collection locked at 2-2. While a lot has modified in his private life, he’s assured his tennis foundations stay intact.

“My forehand still feels pretty similar to before, and my backhand as well,” Ruud joked. “I haven’t got an overuse of my arm yet. I haven’t carried her too much yet!”