Casper Ruud is back in the winner’s circle, and how! The Norwegian star produced a masterclass in Stockholm on Sunday, October 19, 2025, dispatching France’s Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-3 to claim his first Stockholm Open title and become the first Norwegian ever to lift the BNP Paribas Nordic Open trophy. Ruud’s victory not only marks another milestone in his already impressive career, but it also injects fresh excitement into the ATP Finals qualification race as the season barrels toward its dramatic conclusion.
Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up and former world number two, was in imperious form all week at the Royal Swedish Tennis Hall. He dropped just one set—against Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals—on his way to the final, dispatching Marin Cilic, Korda, and third seed Denis Shapovalov before facing Humbert. In the final, Ruud’s serve was nearly untouchable; he conceded only three points on serve, faced no break points, and secured three breaks from six opportunities. The Norwegian hit 22 winners to 12 unforced errors (with some sources listing 19 winners and only 2 unforced errors), while Humbert managed 14 winners but committed 8 unforced errors.
"What a week! I’m so happy — gave it everything I had, and then some," Ruud exclaimed after his triumph, expressing gratitude to his team, sponsors, and the tournament organizers. "Huge thanks to my team, my sponsors, everyone who came out to support, and especially to Thomas and the organizers for making this tournament so special. You really made us feel at home. Not done yet… on to the next!" (Ruud, via social media).
After the match, Ruud was quick to acknowledge his opponent’s efforts and the weight of the occasion. "I would like to congratulate Ugo for his week and sorry about today. I think I played the best match of the year against you, so I am sorry. I am really happy but sorry Ugo," Ruud said during the trophy ceremony. "I know that against you, if I don't play well, you will destroy me. So I knew I had to wake up and play well. I am really happy to win here in Stockholm and it is a little bit of a childhood dream as it is close to Norway and all the legends have played here in the past. Federer, Nadal, Borg, McEnroe, you name it. So it is an honour to get a title here."
For Humbert, the Stockholm final was a chance to chase his seventh ATP Tour trophy, but the Frenchman simply couldn’t match Ruud’s level on the day. Humbert, who advanced to the final after Holger Rune retired due to an Achilles injury, moved up to No. 24 in the ATP Live Rankings following the tournament. After the match, Humbert admitted, “I cannot remember facing someone playing this well at this level.”
This Stockholm title is Ruud’s 14th career crown and just his second on hardcourts, coming four years after his breakthrough at the San Diego Open. It’s also his second title of 2025—the first being his maiden ATP Masters 1000 triumph in Madrid this past April, where he defeated Jack Draper in the final. The Norwegian’s consistency indoors has been nothing short of remarkable this season; according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Ruud has now earned more indoor wins (11) in 2025 than any other player on Tour.
The Stockholm final itself was a showcase of Ruud’s clinical precision. The match lasted just 1 hour and 8 minutes, with Ruud racing to a 4-1 lead in both sets and never looking back. In the first set, Ruud broke Humbert in the fourth game and closed out the set with another break. Humbert’s struggles on second serve—winning just 25% of those points in the opener—set the tone. The second set saw more of the same: Ruud broke again in the fourth game and maintained his advantage, closing out the match on his second match point. Humbert managed only one return point in the second set, highlighting Ruud’s dominance.
En route to the final, Ruud lived up to his billing as the tournament’s second seed. He took out Marin Cilic 7-6, 6-4 in the opening round, then survived a three-set battle against Sebastian Korda 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, before dispatching Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals. The win over Humbert in the final brings Ruud’s head-to-head against the Frenchman to 3-3. Statistically, Ruud was untouchable in Stockholm: he won 92% of first-serve points, 93% of second-serve points, and never faced a break point all match. He also saved all three break points he faced throughout the tournament.
The victory has significant implications for the ATP Race to Turin. Ruud now sits 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, with 2,745 points—around 740 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who currently occupies the final qualification spot for the ATP Finals. Musetti, for his part, is competing in the Vienna Open this week and faces a tough first-round draw against former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas. With Holger Rune sidelined due to injury, Ruud is just 35 points away from re-entering the Top-10 in the ATP rankings, and a strong showing at his next events could see him leapfrog into contention for Turin.
Ruud’s next stop is the Swiss Indoors in Basel, where he’ll face Frenchman Quentin Halys in the first round. Ruud holds a perfect 2-0 record against Halys, having beaten him in five sets at the 2018 Australian Open and in a tight three-setter at the 2022 Estoril Open semifinals. Should Ruud win at least one round in Basel, he will likely break back into the Top-10, especially with Rune out until next season. After Basel, Ruud will also compete at the Paris Masters—his final major opportunity to rack up points before the ATP Finals cutoff.
Looking at the big picture, Ruud’s Stockholm triumph is more than just a trophy for the cabinet. It’s a statement of intent as he eyes a fourth appearance at the prestigious year-end championships in Turin, scheduled for November 9-16. With more indoor wins than any player on Tour this year, Ruud’s form couldn’t be peaking at a better moment. The Norwegian’s ability to handle pressure, especially in high-stakes matches, has been a hallmark of his 2025 campaign.
As the ATP season enters its final weeks, all eyes will be on Ruud to see if he can ride this momentum into Basel and Paris—and perhaps punch his ticket to Turin. For now, though, Casper Ruud can savor a historic Stockholm victory, a childhood dream fulfilled, and the knowledge that his best tennis might still be ahead of him this autumn.
