Casper Ruud shakes off second illness bout ahead of 2024 US Open, recovered by watching golf

NEW YORK—Casper Ruud could not catch a break this summer.

The former world No. 2 had only just recovered from a harrowing stomach parasite at Roland Garros when he revealed a week-long flu was behind early exits at the Omnium Banque Nationale and the Cincinnati Open.

“In Montréal, I caught a flu and fever, body aches for four or five days,” Ruud confirmed after winning his first round at the 2024 US Open. “Just a bit unlucky. But I’m ready now and hopefully the immune system is healed, stronger than ever, and I can have a good second part of the season now.”

Ruud took a 1-1 hard-court record into Flushing Meadows after pulling out of Montréal following his opening win and won just four games to Félix Auger-Aliassime in his Cincinnati return.

But while the stomach bug had the Norwegian laid up for two and a half weeks, the flu didn’t put a major dent in his physicality, which allowed him to resume training ahead of the final Grand Slam tournament of 2024.

“I’m really motivated because I’ve had a few tournaments where I didn’t have the chance to perform as I wanted, big tournaments as well,” said Ruud, fresh off a straight-set victory over Bu Yunchaokete on Monday.

Worse things can happen in life, so it’s not a problem, and I think everyone at some point during the year will have some struggles. Luckily, I’m injury-free...Casper Ruud

“It’s ok. Worse things can happen in life, so it’s not a problem, and I think everyone at some point during the year will have some struggles. Luckily, I’m injury-free, but can’t really control if you catch a flu or something like this.

“I feel good, I feel fit again, but when you’re two weeks in bed, you start losing muscle tissue, so it took a bit of time and training over a few weeks to get back to feeling like I was 100%. I tried my best for Wimbledon, but it didn’t happen until maybe just a few weeks later.”

How did Ruud spend his sick days? No, not with Netfli, but by watching golf, of course.

“I’ve been swinging golf clubs since I was young,” said the admitted golf fanatic, who has hit the greens with 2022 US Open champ Carlos Alcaraz and runs a separate Instagram account dedicated to the hobby. “I never really practiced as seriously as I did with tennis, but I really enjoyed going to the driving range, and I still do.

“It’s self-taught through my father; I never really went for lessons. But I do watch a lot.”

The No. 8 seed will next face either Gaël Monfils or Diego Schwartzman, both sentimental favorites playing their first round on Grandstand court.