The Pick: Casper Ruud vs. Holger Rune, ATP Bastad

Back in his comfort zone on the European red clay, Casper Ruud will look to make a statement against former world No. 1 junior Holger Rune. The young Dane is just 18, but already ranked No. 211 in the world, and has backed up every bit of his pretty monumental hype. After dropping the first set against Radu Albot, Rune caught fire, dominating the Moldovan 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.

But now, Rune will face by far his toughest test a a pro in the Norwegian on red clay. Just 22, Ruud already owns a 63-30 record on clay to go along with two ATP titles. His barrage of heavy groundstrokes has broken the spirit of even the most seasoned and accomplished ATP veterans.

According to the oddsmakers, the Norwegian is a massive favorite and projected to win by 5 total games. It’s a steep line, but one that Ruud covers all too often on red clay.

This match will be a great Litmus Test for Rune, as Ruud is undoubtedly one of the best clay courters in the world. Oftentimes in betting, we see talented young guns, like Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas or Andrey Rublev, make statement victories against highly touted prospects.

Definitely keep any wagers on the small side, as five games implies at least three breaks of serve, but Rune will have some adjusting to do against Ruud’s ridiculous topspin forehand.

The Pick: Casper Ruud -5 games