Casper Ruud defeated Hamad Međedović without losing a set and reached the third round of Roland-Garros
Casper Ruud safely advanced to the third round of Roland-Garros after defeating Hamad Međedović 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round of the men's singles tournament. The match was played on May 27, 2026, at the Roland-Garros complex in Paris, on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, and the official tournament website states that the encounter lasted 2 hours and 3 minutes. The Norwegian, seeded 15th, controlled the rhythm of the duel from beginning to end and did not allow his opponent to seriously threaten his place in the next round. After a demanding opening to the tournament, in which he played five sets against Roman Safiullin and had physical problems because of the heat, the victory against the Serbian tennis player gave him a considerably calmer continuation of his Paris campaign.
Against Međedović, Ruud played exactly the kind of match he needed after an exhausting first round: firm, disciplined, and without unnecessary prolongation. According to the official Roland-Garros score, the Norwegian settled all three sets without entering a tie-break, and he dominated most in the second section, in which he conceded only two games to his opponent. Međedović offered somewhat stronger resistance in the third set, but he did not manage to change the direction of the encounter. Ruud remained stable in the rallies, patiently built points from the baseline, and used the advantage of his experience on clay, the surface on which he has achieved the most important results of his career.
An authoritative response after a dramatic first round
This victory has additional value for Ruud because of the circumstances in which he began the tournament. In the first round, according to the official schedule and tournament reports, the Norwegian defeated qualifier Roman Safiullin 6-2, 7-6, 5-7, 0-6, 6-2 after almost four hours of play. During that match, which was played in very warm Paris conditions, Ruud requested medical assistance and visibly struggled with his physical condition. Norway's VG reported his words that his body temperature was very high and that, near the end of the third set, it was difficult for him to follow the ball. Such a start to a Grand Slam tournament often leaves consequences, especially when the next match is played after a short interval.
That is why the duel against Međedović was important not only in terms of the result but also physically. Ruud had to show that his recovery had been sufficient and that he could return to the standard of play that had taken him deep into the Paris draw in previous years. He succeeded in doing so without major fluctuations. According to VG's report after the second round, Ruud said after the victory that he was pleased that, although the day had been long and the evening slot late, he played the match in conditions that gave him more time to recover from what had happened two days earlier. The same report also cites his statement that in the first round he had been close to thinking about going home, which further shows how serious the physical problem was.
There was no such drama in the second round. From the beginning, Ruud looked more stable, moved more confidently, and did not allow the match to turn into an exhausting five-set battle. That is especially important for him because Roland-Garros, due to the demanding clay surface and the best-of-five format in the men's competition, often rewards players who manage to preserve energy in the early rounds. Against Međedović, the Norwegian did exactly that: he advanced, remained without losing a set, and avoided additional expenditure in a week in which the weather conditions in Paris had already been one of the major topics of the tournament.
Međedović did not find an answer to Ruud's control of play
Hamad Međedović entered the encounter as a player who has enough power and aggression to create problems, but against Ruud he did not find a lasting balance between attack and security. The Serbian tennis player tried to shorten the rallies and take the initiative whenever he received a shorter ball, but Ruud often took time away from him with deep shots and high bounce from the baseline. That style of play is especially effective on Paris clay, where the Norwegian can use topspin and patience to force his opponent to play one extra shot. In the first two sets, precisely that difference in the quality of executing the plan was decisive.
The 6-3 score in the first set shows that Međedović had periods in which he stayed in touch, but not enough pressure to change the momentum. The second set, which ended 6-2 for Ruud, was the most one-sided part of the match and probably decisive for the psychological outcome of the encounter. Once the Norwegian led 2-0 in sets, the Serbian player needed much more than occasional good points to return to the duel. The third set was the most competitive in terms of the score, but Ruud again kept enough composure to close the encounter without a tense finish.
Međedović's defeat does not change the fact that in recent seasons he has made a significant step forward at ATP level. According to his ATP profile, the Serbian tennis player belongs to a generation of younger players who are trying to stabilize their position in the main draw of the biggest tournaments. His performance in Paris showed that he can compete on the Grand Slam stage, but also that against a player of Ruud's experience he needs to maintain a high level throughout the entire match. On clay, where weaknesses in movement, patience, and shot selection are quickly punished, the Norwegian did not leave him much room for a comeback.
Roland-Garros remains a tournament of special importance for Ruud
Ruud's relationship with Roland-Garros has long been an important part of his career. The official tournament profile states that his best result in Paris is the final, in 2022 and 2023. Those performances strengthened his reputation as one of the most dangerous players on clay, especially in long matches in which he can use his physical fitness, discipline, and precision from the baseline. Although there have been fluctuations in his form in recent seasons, Paris has remained a place where a serious result is regularly expected of him.
According to the official Roland-Garros profile, Ruud had 14 singles titles ahead of this tournament, his career-best ranking was No. 2, and he had appeared several times in the main draw in Paris. Such a résumé creates a different kind of pressure: Ruud is not just a player seeking a surprise, but a seed with clear expectations and a history of deep runs in the tournament. Against Međedović, he performed exactly that way. He did not need a spectacular performance full of risk, but a professionally completed job, control of key games, and avoidance of a scenario that would have opened space for his opponent to believe in a turnaround.
His game on clay relies on a combination of a heavy forehand, patient point construction, and good positioning. When physically ready, Ruud can impose on opponents a rhythm in which every game requires a great deal of work. In that context, the victory over Međedović looks like a sign that after the problems from the first round he had again found basic stability. That does not mean that questions about his physical condition have completely disappeared, but the way he finished his second match gives him a better platform for the continuation of the tournament.
The heat in Paris became one of the topics of the first week
The first week of Roland-Garros 2026 was also marked by high temperatures in Paris. The Guardian reported that the conditions at the tournament were extremely demanding, with temperatures exceeding 32 degrees Celsius, and in the same context the problems of several players were mentioned, including Jakub Menšík, who collapsed after a marathon five-set victory. El País also wrote that the heat affected the behavior of the balls, the pace of rallies, and the players' physical adjustment, with tennis players having to deal with faster conditions and a greater burden on the body.
Ruud's case from the first round fit into that broader picture. According to VG, during the match against Safiullin he had serious difficulties near the end of the third set, after which he lost the third and fourth sets before recovering in the decisive section. In a Grand Slam environment, such situations can be a turning point in a tournament, because even a victory can leave a physical debt. That is why the second round against Međedović was a test of recovery just as much as of tennis quality. Ruud passed it convincingly, which is probably just as important for his team as the passage into the third round itself.
Weather conditions at Roland-Garros can traditionally change the character of play. When the air is warmer, the ball often flies faster, and the bounce on clay can be livelier, which favors players who control rotation and shot depth well. Ruud has known how to benefit in such circumstances when he has enough time to set up for his forehand, but the heat problems from the first round also showed the other side of such conditions. A victory in three sets was therefore the most favorable possible outcome: it brought him competitive continuity without additional exhaustion.
A more demanding test against Tommy Paul follows
According to VG's report, Ruud will face the American Tommy Paul in the third round. That duel should be a considerably different challenge from the encounter with Međedović, because Paul belongs among players who can combine speed, flat shots, and quality movement forward. For Ruud, it will be crucial to maintain the depth of his shots and prevent his opponent from entering the court too often. If he succeeds in that, the clay surface and longer rallies can again work in his favor.
The third round at Grand Slam tournaments often marks the transition from the phase in which favorites mostly confirm their status to the phase in which serious tactical tests begin. Ruud did the job expected of a seed against Međedović, but the continuation of the tournament will demand an additional level. A possible victory against Paul, according to Norwegian reports about the draw, could open his path toward an even bigger challenge in the round of 16, where Novak Đoković is mentioned as a possible opponent. Such projections in a Grand Slam draw always depend on the results of other matches, but it is clear that Ruud's path is gradually becoming sharper.
For now, the most important thing is that the Norwegian has regained control over his own tournament after the difficulties from the first round. The 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory against Međedović was not only passage into the next round, but also a message that the physical crisis from the opening had not knocked him out of rhythm. In Paris, where he has played two finals and where his game naturally fits the demands of the surface, such stability can be decisive. Roland-Garros is a tournament where form is often built through the rounds, and after the second round Ruud did exactly what he needed: he won authoritatively, shortened the time spent on court, and kept his place among the players who must be taken seriously in the continuation of the men's draw.
Sources:
- Roland-Garros – official match result Casper Ruud – Hamad Međedović in the second round of the 2026 men's singles tournament (link)
- Roland-Garros – official profile of Casper Ruud, information on ranking, titles, and results in Paris (link)
- ATP Tour – official profile of Casper Ruud and career information (link)
- ATP Tour – official profile of Hamad Međedović and career information (link)
- VG – reports on Ruud's physical problems in the first round and his victory over Međedović (link)
- The Guardian – report on the heat and conditions at Roland-Garros 2026 (link)
- El País – context on the impact of heat on play and conditions in Paris during Roland-Garros (link)