Casper Ruud’s long-time coach, Pedro Clar, recently let fans in on how the Norwegian’s admiration towards Rafael Nadal has shaped his career.

Ruud, ranked sixth in the world, has been a top fixture in men’s tennis for nearly four years. Having turned pro in 2015, he turned his sights towards reaching the highest echelons of the game three years later when he joined Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca.

Casper Ruud regularly trained at the 22-time Major winner’s academy before his breakthrough in 2021. The 25-year-old has since attributed his time there to his success.

In that context, the fact that Ruud’s coach Pedro Clar suggests that his ward has always looked up to Rafael Nadal’s values hardly comes as surprising. Speaking to Punto de Break, the Spaniard asserted that watching the former World No. 1 compete had hardened the Norwegian’s mentality.

Moreover, Clar also believes that the World No. 6 has “assimilated” Nadal’s personality traits to his benefit.

“Being Nordic, it comes a little from within him [referring to Casper Ruud], but he has always said it: he has grown up watching Rafa compete, he has seen his values and everything he transmits, that has made him mature over time,” Pedro Clar told Punto de Break.

“Surely we would find many aspects of Rafa that Casper has been assimilating, this helps him have that emotional stability when competing”. he added.

“Rafael Nadal has two personalities, one on the court where he is fierce… and another outside, where he is a very normal guy” – Casper Ruud

Casper Ruud himself has never shied from showering praise on Rafael Nadal for his approach towards tennis. The Norwegian spoke briefly about the distinction between the 37-year-old’s on-court and off-court attitude in an interview with Spanish publication AS in late 2021.

Ruud claimed that Nadal has a grounded nature when he’s not competing on the ATP Tour. He also disclosed that the 22-time Major winner gets along very well with the trainees at the famed Rafa Nadal Academy.

“He [Rafael Nadal] is inspiring. Very competitive, it doesn’t matter if it’s tennis or golf. And he has two personalities, one on the court where he is fierce, tough and plays with great intensity; and another outside, where he is a very normal guy and nice,” Casper Ruud told AS in November 2021. “He always says hello and everyone at the academy treats him like a normal person. I think he likes that.”

The then-22-year-old also suggested during the interaction that the Spaniard never breaking his racquet in frustration was one of his most admirable qualities.

“I told myself that I would try never to break a racket,” he added. “And there is only one top-10 who doesn’t: Rafa.”