Former Grand Slam finalist admits he was seeking revenge in Gstaad as he wins first match since returning from injury

Several big names have made the trip to Mexico for the Los Cabos Open, an event played on hard courts.

Others have chosen to stay in Europe for the Swedish Open and Swiss Open, tournaments played on clay.

Returning from injury at the Swiss Open, a former Grand Slam finalist secured a big win in his opening match and admitted he was ‘seeking revenge’ during his on-court interview.

Casper Ruud says he was ‘seeking revenge’ against Dominic Stricker in Gstaad

Three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud suffered an injury at the French Open, which kept him from competing on grass in 2025.

Returning to action at the Swiss Open, an event he won in 2021 and 2022, he beat home favorite Dominic Stricker 7-5, 7-6 in his opening match.

During his on-court interview, Ruud admitted he was seeking revenge on Stricker for what happened in their previous meeting.

“It was a very tough match against Dominic [Stricker], I lost to him one time before here in Switzerland, I was seeking some revenge,” he said.

“But he’s a really good player, young player, he plays aggressive, fearless tennis, I knew I had to be on from the beginning, this is my first match back in a few weeks, so happy to be back, it’s a really important win for me.”

Ruud lost to Stricker at the Basel Open two years ago, losing out to the young Swiss star in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-7.

The 26-year-old was then asked about the conditions in Gstaad, as both players struggled with the wind throughout the match.

“I’m used to this, in Norway, we have everything in the Summer, even snow sometimes, I’m used to everything, so it’s ok, it’s beautiful here in Gstaad, I’m just enjoying my time, will have a few more days here now and get ready for my next match,” said Ruud.

“I love it here, I feel well when I play this tournament, the conditions are quite tough, with altitude, which everyone knows, makes the ball fly a little bit more, not that easy to control. Every match you get under your belt, you can build confidence.”

Twice a champion in Gstaad, Ruud isn’t taking anything for granted, as he looks to win title number three in 2025.

“I’ve had success in the past, but it doesn’t mean that in the future or in the present it will be the same, so you have to focus on every match,” he said.

Ruud may not be getting ahead of himself, but he is certainly the favorite in Switzerland, entering the tournament as the number one seed and the only player ranked inside the top 15.

The Norwegian will resume his Swiss Open campaign on Friday, July 18, taking on either David Goffin or Juan Manuel Cerundolo for a place in the semifinals.

Casper Ruud’s 2025 ATP season so far

Ruud’s 2025 season is pretty tricky to judge, as you could easily make an argument to say it’s both his worst season and best season in years.

At the Grand Slam events, Ruud has been poor, winning just two matches across the two tournaments he played, a disappointing return for someone of his caliber.

• 2025 Australian Open 1R – Casper Ruud beat Jaume Munar
• 2025 Australian Open 2R – Casper Ruud lost to Jakub Mensik
• 2025 French Open 1R – Casper Ruud beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas
• 2025 French Open 2R – Casper Ruud lost to Nuno Borges

However, in May, the world number 13 won the biggest title of his professional career when Ruud defeated Jack Draper in the final of the Madrid Open

Becoming a Masters 1000 champion for the first time, Ruud could briefly forget about his struggles during the first few months of the season.

An injury at the French Open stopped him from fulfilling his potential at one of his favorite events, as he now resumes his clay-court season at the lower-tiered ATP 250 events.

Only time will tell if Ruud can mark his return from injury with a title in Gstaad, but it will certainly be worth tuning in for.