Casper Ruud has admitted that his start at the 2026 Australian Open is uncertain. The world number 12. declared that the birth of his daughter was imminent. His fiancée Maria Galligani could give birth “at any time,” which could have a major impact on his tournament planning. Casper and Galligani announced back in September that they were expecting their first child. At the time, the Norwegian wrote on social media: “The team is growing. See you next year, little girl.”
Despite the personal situation, Casper traveled to Australia and took part in the United Cup at the start of the season. He is also on the entry list for the ASB Classic in New Zealand. However, he does not rule out a short-term retreat if he receives a call from home.
Due date causes sporting uncertainty
In Auckland, Ruud told reporters: “To be honest, she can come any time now.” He added: “Hopefully I can stay for the rest of the tournament, but you never know. Maybe I’ll get a call and suddenly find myself on the plane home.” The long journey is an additional factor, which is why he hopes that the birth will take a few more weeks. Then he could be there at the birth and celebrate the planned wedding later in the year.
Ruud and Galligani have been a couple since 2018. The engagement took place in November 2024 and the wedding is scheduled for later in 2026.
Sporting balance with light and shadow
From a sporting perspective, Ruud is still waiting for his breakthrough at the Australian Open. His best result so far remains the round of 16 in 2021. Last year he failed in the second round to Jakub Mensik. Overall, the 2025 Grand Slam season was mixed, with early defeats and a Wimbledon cancellation due to injury.
There were still successes, for example with the titles at the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid and the ATP 250 in Geneva. Ruud is cautiously optimistic about the future: “2026 will be a really nice year, but if you think about tennis, it can also be exciting in terms of sport.”
