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Casper Ruud claimed his tenth ATP title in Estoril, beating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 7-6 in an hour and 48 minutes. Casper secured his ninth ATP 250 clay-court title, the first since Gstaad last summer. The Norwegian came to Estoril with a 5-6 score in 2023, playing miles below his best and failing to reach the last eight.
Ruud won a couple of challenging matches this week to advance into the title clash and prevailed over Kecmanovic in the second set to celebrate a much-needed title. Casper served at 53% and drew the most from that. He defended all three break points and kept the pressure on the other side.
Miomir faced eight break points, losing serve two times in the opener and raising his level in set number two. There were no breaks of serve in the encounter's second part, and Ruud clinched it in the tie break to emerge at the top.
The Serb fired a forehand winner in the first game and held at 15 for a reliable start.
Casper Ruud defeated Miomir Kecmanovic in the Estoril final.
Miomir came into the final without losing his serve, and it all changed when Casper landed a forehand down the line winner at 1-1 for an early advantage.
The Serb squandered game points at 1-3 and suffered another break when the Norwegian painted a forehand winner. Ruud brought the sixth game home with a serve & volley combo and forced the rival to serve to stay in the set in no time.
Kecmanovic grabbed the seventh game at love to extend the set before Ruud held at love with a smash winner a few minutes later for 6-2 in 35 minutes. Casper defended two break points in the second set's second game and landed a perfect drop shot for 1-1.
Miomir played a loose service game at 2-2 and experienced three break points. He denied them and wrapped up the game for a massive hold and a boost of confidence. Casper missed a forehand in the sixth game and played against a break point.
Miomir squandered it with a loose backhand from an ideal position and struggled behind the initial shot in the next one. The Serb came from 40-15 down in the seventh game and held with a drop shot winner for 4-3. Both players served well in the rest of the set, delivering five commanding holds to introduce a tie break.
Miomir leveled the score at 3-3 after an extended rally before Casper forced his error to gain another lead. Kecmanovic lost the following two points on serve to find himself 6-3 behind and offer his rival match points. Ruud attacked on the first and forced the rival's error to seal the deal and celebrate his first ATP title in months.