PARIS — Two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud suffered a stunning second-round exit at Roland Garros on Wednesday, collapsing in straight sets against Italian qualifier Matteo Arnaldi in one of the tournament's biggest upsets.
The Norwegian, seeded seventh and a finalist in both 2022 and 2023, was outplayed 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 by the world No. 35, who had never before reached the third round of a Grand Slam. Ruud's defeat marks the earliest exit by a French Open finalist since Stan Wawrinka's first-round loss in 2018.
A Shocking Collapse
Ruud, known for his clay-court prowess, looked out of sorts from the opening games. Arnaldi capitalized on uncharacteristic errors, breaking Ruud's serve three times in the first set. "I felt like I couldn't find my rhythm at all," Ruud admitted afterward. "Matteo played aggressively, and I had no answers."
The match spiraled further for Ruud in the second set, where he committed 18 unforced errors. Arnaldi, buoyed by the crowd, grew increasingly confident, dictating play with his forehand and exploiting Ruud's sluggish movement.
Key Factors in Ruud's Defeat
- Serve Struggles: Ruud landed only 52% of first serves, well below his season average of 65%.
- Forehand Errors: His usually reliable forehand produced 25 unforced errors.
- Mental Fatigue: Ruud appeared drained after a grueling clay season, including title runs in Barcelona and Geneva.
Arnaldi's Breakthrough Moment
The 23-year-old Arnaldi, who entered the tournament with just one Grand Slam main-draw win, played the match of his life. "I knew if I stayed aggressive, I could trouble him," Arnaldi said. "To win like this on Philippe-Chatrier is a dream."
Arnaldi's victory was built on:
- Consistent depth on groundstrokes (averaging 1.5 meters deeper than Ruud's)
- Clinical conversion of break points (5/7 compared to Ruud's 1/4)
- Superior net play (winning 12/15 approaches)
Reactions from the Tennis World
Former champion Mats Wilander called it "one of the most surprising results in recent Roland Garros history." Ruud's coach, Pedro Clar, acknowledged his player's physical struggles: "Casper hasn't been 100% since Rome. We'll need to reassess his schedule."
The loss has significant ranking implications for Ruud, who will drop out of the Top 10 unless other results go his way. For Arnaldi, it guarantees a new career-high ranking inside the Top 30.
Looking Ahead
Arnaldi will face 28th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round. The Italian now finds himself in a wide-open bottom quarter of the draw, with no remaining seeds left in his section.
As for Ruud, the defeat raises questions about his ability to maintain consistency at majors. Despite his past success in Paris, this marks his third early exit in his last four Grand Slam appearances.
"This hurts," Ruud told reporters. "I came here believing I could go deep again. Today was just not my day." The Norwegian will now turn his attention to the grass season, where he has historically struggled, with just four career wins on the surface.