Casper RuudvsRoman Safiullin

Casper Ruud meets Roman Safiullin in the Round of 128 at Roland Garros on May 25, with both players taking to the clay courts in Paris. Ruud ranks 16th globally, while Safiullin sits at 141. The two have met once before, with Ruud taking that contest.

On clay, both players have posted identical records over their recent sample period: 15 wins and 5 losses. Ruud has won three of his last five matches overall but dropped his most recent outing six days ago. Safiullin has been more consistent lately, winning four of his last five, though he has not played a match in the past sixteen days and did not compete in the last two weeks.

Both men rely on heavy groundstrokes and power off the baseline. Ruud's recent work against Bublik and Musetti contrasts with Safiullin's losses to those same opponents, suggesting Ruud has found better answers to that particular style of play. On clay specifically, Safiullin will need to establish his rhythm after extended time away, while Ruud must recover from his recent loss and manage a packed schedule before this match.