Ruud Enjoys A Taste Of Italy, But Steers Clear Of The Coffee!

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Renowned for his high-speed hitting, Casper Ruud immediately brought his free-flowing best to the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals. He downed Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets in his Green Group opener on Sunday in Turin and will seek a similar result on Tuesday against Taylor Fritz.

But when it comes to spending time in Italy, how does the Norwegian’s off-court taste compare to his on-court intensity? When asked by ATPTour.com about what he would do if given the choice between attending a Serie A match and watching the historic Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the Norwegian leant towards the more high-octane experience.

“Depends which match, but Monza would be awesome to watch one day,” said the 23-year-old. Ruud would also opt for a climb up the famous volcano Mount Vesuvius, which towers 1,281 metres above the Bay of Naples, ahead of another history-filled trip to the Colosseum in Rome.

“The climb would be fun, I think,” said the nine-time tour-level titlist. “I have visited the Colosseum before so it’s an easy choice.”

Ruud is chasing his maiden title in Italy, where he reached his fifth ATP Masters 1000 semi-final in May at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. Yet despite his fond memories from that week on the clay of the Italian capital, he is less-than-sold on one particularly renowned aspect of Italian culture — coffee.

“Cappuccino,” said Ruud, when asked to choose between drinking the milky-style drink and an Espresso. “[But] I would just have the skimmed milk on top with the cream, because I don’t drink coffee.”

As for a trip to the cinema to watch The Godfather or The Italian job, Ruud would stick what he knows. “I don’t really know the Italian Job,” said the Norwegian. “So [I would choose] The Godfather.”