Delray Beach Open has a Ruud for the 1st time in 28 years with Caspar

Caspar Ruud, whose father, Christian, played the Delray Beach Open 28 years ago, has never thought of this ATP 250 event as a prime place to warm up for the U.S. winter hardcourt season.

But Ruud, a claycourt phenom who is one of the tour’s best players to never win a Grand Slam, pinpointed this as the year to come to Florida early. Even if his wife just gave birth to a baby girl 25 days ago.

Ranked 12th in the world, the 25-year-old Norwegian, after receiving a first-round bye, will face American Marcos Giron in a second-round match Wednesday night Feb. 18.

Ruud has been to three Grand Slam finals – two French Opens (2022, 2023) and the 2022 U.S. Open when he lost to Carlos Alcaraz.

“It made more sense with the scheduling, playing Acapulco (next week),’’ Ruud said. “Better to play here, than go directly from indoors back home being super cold in zero degrees to Acapulco. So I’ll get matches in here. It was worth a shot. I decided to do it this way this year. If I like it and if I do well, maybe  I’ll keep doing it.’’

Ruud has long been going to Florida because his grandparents owned a winter home in Tampa. Seven months before Rudd was born, his father and now coach played the 1998 event when it was staged in Coral Springs and lost in the first round.

Ruud still doesn’t have the Palm Beach County street names down pat, but he should learn soon if he has a longer Delray run than his father. 

“I love coming to Florida and have been since I was young boy,’’ Ruud said. “It’s nostalgic for me and perfect weather. They have good golf around. They have good restaurants down the Atlantic Driveway (sic). A cozy small town you can walk around here.’’

The downside is Ruud’s newborn can’t be on the trip. The American hardcourt season picks up with the Sunshine Double – Indian Wells and Miami Open in March before the claycourt season beckons in Europe.

 Asked about the new feeling of fatherhood, Ruud said, “My forehand still feels pretty similar.  I haven’t felt overuse of my arm yet. I haven’t carried her in my arms too much yet.’’

“It’s an emotional feeling,’’ Ruud added. “This is just the beginning of 20-to-25 years of taking care of her. Fun and exciting. I’ll try to use it as motivation. I’ll try to remember when you travel this far, might as well try your best and play good tennis. Let’s see if I can do it this trip. But I’ll feel homesick.’’

Ruud touched on two other tour items – including the Dubai tournament director threatening sanctions and saying players should be penalized points for backing out of events at the last minute. That’s what just happened at an event with Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

“Kind of harsh, really,” Ruud said. “They probably should have more understanding what it’s like. I retired last week from Dallas for personal reasons. We do our best to show up at most of the tournaments we can, but we are human too.’’

The ATP also is considering downsizing the amount of 250 events by 2028 – tournaments that give just 250 tour points.

The Delray Beach Open is a 250 but its annual success may mean it is not in danger. This is the strongest field in DBO’s history with eight players in the top 30.

“Quite sad to see that as a plan,’’ Ruud said. “My personal view is I built a lot of confidence and ranking at my success at 250s. Other players as well. Winning a tournament, whether it’s 1000 (points) or 250, it’s best feeling in the world. Out of 32 players, I lifted the trophy and I was the best.’’

Fritz, the top-ranked American who won the Delray Open in 2023 and 2024 before losing in the quarterfinals last year, feels the Delray Open is a safe haven ever since he moved to Miami.

“I just love playing here,’’ said Fritz, ranked No. 9. “I get in a good mindset when I compete here. The crowd has always been great to me. It’s not a coincidence the year I moved to Miami and got a place here was the year I won the tournament for the first time.  That plays a big part of it to be able to stay at home and drive my car to the tournament. Regardless of what happens, I’m spending the week at home.’’

Tiafoe could face Boca Raton resident Tommy Paul in this year’s quarterfinals. Fritz topped Paul in the 2024 Delray finals.

The ATP may have brought unnecessary attention to one of Frances Tiafoe’s shirt sponsors, Barclays Bank. Right before Tiafoe’s first-round match Feb. 16 against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, the chair umpire used a magic marker to cover up Tiafoe’s Barclays logo on his shirt.

According to the ATP, under rules, Tiafoe’s sleeveless shirt allows for only two sponsorship logos, not the three Tiafoe’s was bearing. Hence the extra erasure work for umpire Joshua Brace.

Tiafoe laughed as the umpire did his artwork and the slumping American who has fallen to 28th in the world won his match, 6-4, 6-4. Tiafoe, who lives in Boca Raton via Washington DC, is the 8^th seed.