WATCH: Casper Ruud struggles with Big 4 inside jokes, shines on court at Laver Cup

WATCH: Ruud spoke about keeping up with the Big 4 after making a winning start to for Team Europe at Laver Cup.

Casper Ruud arrived to this year’s Laver Cup as the top-ranked man on the roster, and the 23-year-old credits his 2021 debut with fueling the self-belief that helped him reach two major finals in the last three months.

“I was around great players all week, learned a little bit from them and said to myself that I want to be a part of this group in the future,” he said after outlasting Jack Sock to open the action with a win for Team Europe. “It’s a big group of guys who are young and hungry and ready for many years to play good tennis. I hope I can be one of those guys.”

Up to a career-high of No. 2 in the ATP rankings after finishing runner-up at the US Open to Carlos Alcaraz, Ruud was able to rely on advice from idol Rafael Nadal, who defeated Ruud to win Roland Garros in June, as he solved Sock in a match tiebreaker.

In the meantime, the rest of the quartet—Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray—were (rather hilariously) captured taking a lunch break, continuing their week-long reunion that culminates with Federer’s emotional retirement.

“The Big 4 know each other better than I know them, so they have their gold old histories and jokes around them,” admitted Ruud of his four-headed senpai. “I’m hanging a bit behind on some of the internal jokes, but that’s ok. They’re funny, and very, very gentle and nice with me. It’s just an honor to be a part of the team.”

Ruud got to have a quick chat with Federer in the lead-up to the Team Europe photoshoot, a moment the Norwegian was able to immortalize on Instagram.

“I’m going to try and enjoy the next matches on the bench, and cheer for them and enjoy this weekend,” he said on court. “Hopefully I can learn a thing or two. I know I can learn many things from them, but I can see if there are specific things I can take with me in the future.”