Casper Ruud headlines Geneva Open after Rome disappointment
Casper Ruud will be out to win his third straight Geneva Open after suffering another semi-final exit in Rome.
Ruud is both the defending champion and the top seed in Geneva and another win will make him the all-time singles title leader at the event.
Currently, Ruud shares the record with both Mats Wilander and Stan Wawrinka, who also won their titles back-to-back.
Ruud will enjoy a bye through the first round at the ATP 250 event that has a 28-man main draw.
Ruud’s first opponent in Geneva will be either Hugo Dellien, who enters with a protected ranking, or American J.J. Wolf.
The field is littered with Americans and Taylor Fritz anchors the draw as the second seed.
Fritz might be set for an opening meeting with a compatriot although Marcos Giron will have to get beyond Alexander Bublik to book a date with his countryman.
Sporting a 7-4 record on clay this season, Fritz keeps improving on the surface and could be a serious title threat in Geneva.
Former Geneva Open champion Alexander Zverev has been handed both a wildcard and the third seeding.
Zverev returns to Geneva for the first time since his 2019 title win and enjoys a bye through the first round.
The German will face either American Christopher Eubanks or French wildcard Benoit Paire who meet in the first round.
Fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov rounds out the players enjoying a first round bye.
Dimitrov ousted Wawrinka in the first round of the Italian Open but couldn’t best Novak Djokovic.
The Bulgarian world No 33 has a 50/50 win-loss record on clay this season.
Dimitrov will face either Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain or a qualifier in his opening match in the Geneva Open last 16.
The second-highest ranked American in the field is fifth seed Ben Shelton.
Shelton will need to get beyond Italian journeyman Marco Cecchinato to gain the last 16 on his first visit to Geneva.
Dutch sixth seed Tallon Griekspoor will be set for an opening round date with a qualifier.
Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles is the No 7 and also starts his campaign against a qualifier.
No 8 seed Adrian Mannarino is out to clinch his first ATP Tour win on clay in 2023 and starts against a tough opponent in Filip Krajinovic.
Home hope Marc-Andrea Huesler will start his campaign against rising Chinese star Yibing Wu who was a titlist in Dallas.
