Casper Ruud maintains clay-court mastery in Gstaad, Denis Shapovalov falters in Wimbledon follow-up

WATCH: Vit Kopriva made good in his first ATP main draw over top seed Shapovalov in Gstaad.

Casper Ruud surged into his seventh clay-court quarterfinal of 2021 at the Swiss Open on Thursday, dispatching Dennis Novak, 6-4, 7-6 (5) to open play on Roy Emerson Arena.

Ruud has won 21 of 26 matches played on clay this season and has won two titles in his last three clay-court outings, including the Nordea Open last week in Båstad. Against Novak, he advanced through razor-thin margins to secure victory in one hour and 36 minutes.

The Norwegian enjoyed a full-circle family moment in Båstad, winning a title in which his father finished runner-up in 1995.

“It was an incredible week, maybe the best week of my life,” Ruud said.

“Me and my father have been joking about when I am going to beat him at this and this, and now I think I have beaten him in everything!” he added during his championship speech. “The Ruud family can finally bring the trophy home to Norway. It is a special feeling having him here with me.”

The 22-year-old suffered no let down in his Gstaad opener, securing the lone break of the opening set and easing ahead 6-3 in the second-set tiebreak before converting his third match point.

Seeded No. 3 this week, Ruud will next face No. 6 seed Benoit Paire after the mercurial Frenchman advanced over Tallon Griekspoor via retirement after winning the first set, 6-4.

Paire and Ruud last played in the first round of Roland Garros, where the latter triumphed in four sets to hand the hometown favorite an emotional exit.

Me and my father have been joking about when I am going to beat him at this and this, and now I think I have beaten him in everything! Casper Ruud

Kopriva stuns Shapovalov in ATP debut

Denis Shapovalov’s follow-up to his Wimbledon semifinal finish ended in defeat later that afternoon when he fell to Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Kopriva was taking on a Top 20 player in his first career ATP main draw, and held off the heavy-hitting Canadian in a tense second set to sweep through the decider in one hour and 49 minutes.

Shapovalov broke new ground at the All England Club when he survived Karen Khachanov in a five-set quarterfinal classic and played eventual champ Novak Djokovic through three closet sets on Centre Court. Back on clay for the first time since finishing runner-up to Ruud in Geneva —having withdrawn from Roland Garros due to a shoulder injury—the world No. 10 tore through the opening set and gamely broke back after falling behind 0-3 in the second.

When Kopriva regained the initiative in the following game, the 24-year-old saved two break points to move ahead 5-2 and never looked back, serving out the final two sets with a loss of three points, combined.

A potential semifinal opponent for either Ruud or Paire, Kopriva will aim to make the most of his maiden ATP quarterfinal against Mikael Ymer. The unseeded Swede rallied from a set down to defeat No. 8 seed Feliciano Lopez, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (7), 6-4, saving two match points in the second-set tiebreak.