BRISBANE – Norway’s Casper Ruud declared on Wednesday that the world No. 1 ranking could be his as early as the Australian Open in January.

The 24-year-old had a chance to top the rankings when he took on Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final in September, but the Spanish teenager won in four sets to take the title and with it the No. 1 spot.

Ruud, now ranked third in the world behind Alcaraz and Spanish veteran Rafael Nadal, said a good run for him at the Australian Open could be enough to climb to the summit.

“If there is maybe one time that it could happen again, it’s actually in the near future,” he said, ahead of the inaugural United Cup mixed-teams tournament in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth.

“If I have a good trip I can be in a position (to become No. 1) again.”

But Rudd, who also made the French Open final in 2022, remained philosophical about his chances of reaching the top of the sport.

“It gives me motivation to keep going and know that you were very close at one time, but maybe that will be the closest you will ever be,” he said.

“Maybe you’ll get it, and maybe you will be in a close position another time in your career.

“I think last season has shown me that I have the potential if I continue to do the right things, work hard.

“I can be in that position again, or it can never happen – you never know in this sport.”

What is clear, though, is the Norwegian’s love for tennis. In a recent interview, he had said that he has been competitive since he was a kid, and that he did not enjoy school but he always looked forward to going to the tennis court.

“I still had to go to school and try to focus a little bit on the subject, which was not always my favourite thing to do, to go to school,” he said.

“But, I was always excited to get to the tennis court and get to play. And we were always, like I said, I have always been competitive.

“So, I was always looking forward to the practices in the afternoon and if I had the chance, I could probably stay for hours and hours playing points and all these things with other players.”

Ruud also recently received the Aftenposten gold medal for his impressive 2022 season. The accolade is one of Norway’s most important sporting honours, having been earned by some of the country’s greatest athletes in the past.

Norway begin their United Cup campaign against Brazil in Brisbane on Saturday, with Ruud’s opening match against Thiago Monteiro on Sunday. AFP