Casper, that ghost

How long gone are the days when Casper would make the semifinals at almost every big tournament thanks to his mutant-level professionalism...

And yes, Casper is now down to pulling off results here and there, often in tournaments that suit his game like Stockholm or Madrid. That’s also the case in IW. While he got caught off guard by Giron last year, he put together a good run in 2024 by reaching the quarterfinals. After a successful first round against a Shevchenko who played very well in the second set, he’s up and running. On the other side, you’ve got Valentin, who takes advantage of dips in Borges’ level at the end of sets to get through. That’s the Monegasque’s strength, and that’s really what I’d like to emphasize because otherwise, I find Ruud stronger here. My big issue is that the Norwegian doesn’t show enough killer instinct for my liking, and that’s been obvious in several of his recent matches. If Val manages to drag him into tight ends of sets, he can come through. Odds that are too short on the Norwegian would therefore put me off…