Geneva Open 2021 Final: Denis Shapovalov vs Casper Ruud Preview, Head-to-Head and Prediction

Footage collated by their respective video analysts are all that Denis Shapovalov and Casper Ruud would have on each other as they cross swords for the Gonet Geneva Open title later on Sunday.

It’s not often that two players set up their first-ever meeting in a tournament final, but such is the case with the Canadian tennis star and his Norwegian rival as they battle for the championship.

With no less than Roger Federer, who made his maiden appearance at Geneva, and Grigor Dimitrov top-lining the draw, many wouldn’t have seen Shapovalov and Ruud as the finalists at the start of the tournament.

Denis Shapovalov seeking his second Tour title, Casper Ruud his first

Taking his gains from Rome, where he pushed the mighty Rafael Nadal on clay and even raised visions of a second career win over the Spaniard before succumbing in three sets, Shapovalov has come within a match of lifting his second career Tour title.

Largely an underachiever and a journeyman on Tour for someone of his talent, the 22-year-old Canadian reached the Geneva final on the back of some impressive wins.

He came close to crashing out in his tournament opener as he trailed by a set against Italian Marco Cecchinato but recovered to prevail in three sets.

However, the current World No.15 hasn’t looked back since as two dominant, straight-set wins over Serbian Laslo Dere and veteran Uruguayan star Pablo Cuevas helped him secure passage to the championship round.

Shapovalov and Casper Rudd would be playing each other for the first time

Ruud, who has had a memorable clay-court season so far, making three semi-final appearances at Monte-Carlo, Munich, and the latest in Madrid, has gone a step further in the Swiss city in the quest for his first Tour title.

Bringing his clay court craft to bear on his opponents, the Norwegian finally snapped his last-four jinx and reached his first final this year.

After whipping past American Tennys Sandgren to get his campaign off to a winning start, Ruud prevailed over Dominik Koepfer of Germany in three sets to reach the semi-final.

Drawing Pablo Andujar, the veteran Spaniard who took down Federer, Ruud came up with arguably his best semi-final performance so far in his career to win 6-3, 6-2.

Read More: Denis Shapovalov Comes Back From a Set Down to Fend Off Marco Cecchinato at Geneva Open 2021

With the trophy at stake and both Shapovalov and Ruud playing some of their best tennis, expect an absorbing final as they go against each other for the first time on Sunday.

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