SWEDISH OPEN: The ATP tour returns to red clay for the first time since the French Open, and in the aftermath of Wimbledon some of the world’s best will be back on show in Båstad for the 75th anniversary of the Swedish Open. This tournament provides an opportunity for many of the top players to kick on for the rest of the year with the grass court season out of the way.
Francisco Cerundolo – Defending champion
Francisco Cerundolo will be returning to Sweden to defend his title, having won the tournament last year after heading into the competition unseeded. He will have more expectation on his shoulders this time around and will likely be highly seeded this year.
Cerundolo is a player who will be more than happy to see a return to clay court action, with the majority of his success coming on the surface. Now 24, Cerundolo spent his younger years racking up titles on the ITF Futures Tour where he won seven of his eight titles on clay. He has since gone on to win five titles on the ATP Challenger Tour, and two on the main ATP Tour, with six of those seven wins coming on the surface.
His last few months have been more than impressive after achieving his best Grand Slam finish – reaching the fourth round of the French Open, as well as picking up an ATP Title as recently as last month after winning the Eastbourne Open. His form suggests he could continue to rack up ATP titles across all surfaces, and he will be fancied to put in a good performance on the Swedish clay.
Casper Ruud – The top seed
Currently sitting at number four in the world rankings, Casper Ruud is the highest ranked player competing at the Swedish Open. Ruud will want to improve on his 2022 performance when he lost in the round of 16 to the eventual champion, Francisco Cerundolo.
Still young at 24 years of age, Ruud is an ever-improving player and has really started to make an impression on the tour over the last three years. He is a formidable player on clay – demonstrated by reaching the last two French Open finals, despite losing both. 2023 has been a strong year for the Norwegian, and he has won a clay court title already this campaign after triumphing in the Estoril Open in April.
Ruud hasn’t shone yet at the Swedish Open, but the top seed will want to live up to his reputation to secure what would be his 11th ATP Tour title and his second in 2023.
Alexander Zverev – Return to greatness
Alexander Zverev is probably the biggest name competing in Sweden this month, and the former world number two will want to make an impression having missed last year’s edition of the tournament through injury.
The formidable German has dropped to 21st in the world rankings this year and he hasn’t managed to pick up a title on the ATP Tour since November 2021, reaching two finals in 2022 and losing them both. 2023 hasn’t been his strongest year and he is still yet to reach a final on the ATP Tour.
Zverev is an incredibly talented player and has been one of the best players on the tour for many years, but injuries have certainly played their part in the German’s development. A win here could kick-start a resurgence as we enter the second half of the season, which could see him go on to challenge for his first ever Grand Slam title.
Lorenzo Musetti – One to watch
Lorenzo Musetti is just 21 years old and is one to watch on the ATP Tour at the moment, having already picked up two titles in 2022.
Musetti has one title on clay which came when he won the Hamburg Open in July of last year – a memorable win which saw him overcome the now world number one Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. He is yet to reach an ATP Tour final this year but the Swedish Open provides a great opportunity.
Musetti is not yet a household name but a win at the Swedish Open would bring a third ATP title, and could see the current world number 16 edge closer to securing a spot in the top 10 for the first time in his career.
