A finalist a year ago in Paris, Ruud fell, 6-3, 6-3, 6-0, to Nadal. Watch for possible drama between the 24-year-old Norwegian, ranked No. 4 in the world and seeded fourth, and Holger Rune should the two meet up, given that Rune’s medical timeout in the recent Rome Masters semifinal helped turn the match in Rune’s favor. Until that timeout, Ruud hadn’t faced a break point, but his game collapsed. “I’d like to think that it wasn’t a tactic,” he said, “but I don’t know because I didn’t see him slow down, something that usually happens if your shoulder hurts.”
