Casper Ruud will face Mattia Bellucci from Italy in the first round of the Australian Open in tennis. It is clear after Thursday’s draw in Melbourne. Bellucci is ranked number 77 in the world, while Ruud is number 12. This year’s first Grand Slam tournament starts on Sunday and lasts until 1 February. Ruud has often struggled in the heat on the fast hard court. He has to his credit to make it to the quarter-finals, and the 4th round (2021) is the best he has managed. On Wednesday, Ruud went out in his first ATP match of the new year. He was beaten in straight sets by Hungarian Fabian Marozsan in Auckland, New Zealand. Earlier in the week, the Snarøya man announced that he may have to jump on a plane and rush home to Norway. He wants to be there when his wife Maria Galligani gives birth to the couple’s first child. (NTB)
Casper Ruud Takes on Italian Rival in Australian Open Opener
