Casper Ruud went through a difficult period between one of his favorite tournaments, the French Open, and the Laver Cup last month. During this stretch, he suffered several unexpected losses to underdogs, even on his preferred clay, missed a few big events due to injury, and took a noticeable hit to his confidence.
Ruud had lost significant time during that poor stretch and could not afford further setbacks if he wanted to remain in contention for the ATP Finals. Determined to get back on track, he aimed for a strong start to the Asian swing. Fortunately, he delivered in Tokyo, where he not only reached the semifinals but also took a set off the eventual champion and world No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, a major confidence boost.
With his third semifinal of the season secured, and the first since the Madrid Masters, Ruud enters the Shanghai Masters with confidence and momentum on his side. He will be hoping this form carries him deeper in the tournament, especially considering his previous struggles here: a round-of-16 exit on debut in 2023 and a second-round (R1 bye) loss last year.
This has been Zizou Bergs' career-best season on the main tour, highlighted by achievements such as runner-up finishes in Auckland and ’s-Hertogenbosch and a top-50 debut. However, the second half of the year has been a significant setback. He lost his momentum soon after the final in ’s-Hertogenbosch, largely due to fitness issues, and has not yet fully recovered.
The Belgian has not won consecutive matches since his run to the final during the grass swing in June. His most recent attempt to break that drought ended in a second-round loss to Carlos Alcaraz in Tokyo. He will try again at the Shanghai Masters this week, but he faces another tough opponent in the second round.
Bergs has reached the second round of Masters events five times in his career, but he was halted in four of those appearances. His only success came against Andrey Rublev in Miami this year, which also remains his sole victory over a top-20 player at the Masters level.
Head-to-Head: 0-0. While Zizou Bergs has the skill set and weapons to challenge Casper Ruud on hard courts, his current form is unconvincing. Ruud’s recent resurgence in Tokyo further strengthens his claim for the win in this matchup.