Ruud’s calm off the fire of Medvedev

We must also understand the Norwegian, 26 years and 15 of the ATP, who has gone through a bump of the greats in recent months that he explained to the microphones after adding his first victory against Medvedev, with whom he had lost the previous three appointments. «I prefer not to go into details because I have had some mental problems, I have been a bit feeling mentally bad this year. But I have sought help, and it really worked for me. I found quick answers and I feel much better; It has helped me to have someone nearby to talk about certain things, ”he surprised the room, since the Norwegian, of normal calm and apparently shy, opened in this way. «Tennis is a hard life in many ways, with a lot of days of travel. I reached a point where I noticed that it was too much. I looked for help and has been working, I am happy to feel more joy, that I am in a better place, that I wake up every day with a smile. I am happy to have been honest with myself and have looked for help when I felt I needed her; and has been doing its fruits quickly ».

It has also been noticed on the track, where it has been the one who has taken the baton at all times against Medvedev. «I lost three times against him; On a hard track, hard track outdoors and grass. So I could only think, do not lose also on the ground or will have won you on all surfaces. I tried to bring my game on beaten to yours, which is a flatter style of play, with a more direct shot. So I thought that, over time, I hope that my game on whipped land or my lifted blows were going to make it difficult, ”he explained about his victory.

And he admitted certain ups and downs in his performances in Madrid that he hopes to finish in this 2025 with a position high. «In 2021, my second year here, I believe, or third, I arrived at a semifinal as well, which was a good result. But then in 2022, 2023, 2024 it was hard for me to win games. The conditions make it possible for the big servers or more type of hard track players to play well here due to the difficulty of breaking the service, because it is much faster. You see Messik, who is a great player no matter where or when he plays, but he is serving 230 every first service. It is not so easy to do it on the beaten earth and it is not easy to control the ball here, so if you are a little late it is more difficult. But this year I have felt good from the first game, and I hope to continue a few more games ».

The following, Friday, will be against Francisco closing itexecutioner of Jakub Messik (3-6, 7-6 (5) and 6-2). The Argentine is revolutionizing staff in the Magic Fund, because a good handful of followers of his country make each party a party that the tennis player thanks. «It was a very difficult game, it started very firm hitting the ball very strong and did not let me almost return. But people were impressive there, they supported me since I entered the stands until I left, full of Argentines, Spaniards, there were many people who supported me and today I felt totally a local and I think it is always good to have the support of the public ».

Happy with his first semifinal in Madrid, closing him maintains the good mood with the demand for tennis, of which he does not feel slave, no matter how much other vital situations have to be renounced. «I do not consider me a tennis slave or closely. To get where I am you have to spend a lot of time, many hours, much effort, not see your family, your friends, lose things from adolescence: birthdays, roasts, whatever you want to call it. But the majority that is up here is by choice, he chose tennis. And he is happy with what he does, and he knows what to give and what gives you and what does not give you to be a professional tennis player. You have to put on the balance the positive things that it gives you and the negative things that it takes away. And know how to be happy. As in life, not everything is pink. Things, as in any aspect of life and any work, do not come by magic ».

This will be the ninth encounter between the Norwegian and the Argentine, with five wins of the latter, the most recent in the round of 16 of Miami 1,000 masters, 6-4 and 6-2.

In the other semifinal of Mutua Madrid Open they have been summoned Jack Draper y Lorenzo Musetti. They coincide in age, 23 years, but the British reached a status superior to Italian, as he was champion of the 1,000 Masters of Indian Wells.

Draper, the one with the greatest ranking of the Madrid tournament, exceeded without too many problems another Italian, Matteo Arnaldi, who was the executioner of Novak Djokovic, for a blunt 6-0 and 6-4. Musetti, on the other hand, ended the history of fairy of the ‘Lucky Loser’ Gabriel Diallo, repeated from the previous phase and that has stepped on all a quarter of a 1,000 tournament, with a 6-4 and 6-3.