Casper Ruud took aim at the ATP's "questionable" ranking system, describing it as "like a rat race" that forces players to compete with injuries after his French Open exit. 

Ruud, a two-time finalist at Roland-Garros, was dumped out of the second round in the French capital by Nuno Borges on Wednesday, losing 2-6 6-4 6-1 6-0. 

The seventh seed won the first set, but struggled towards the end of the match with a knee injury that he has been carrying since April.

Ruud was hopeful that the issue was nothing too serious, but revealed he had found it difficult to take time away from the ATP Tour to try and manage the issue. 

"It's kind of like a rat race when it comes to the rankings," Ruud said at his post-match press conference. 

"You feel you're obligated to play with certain rules that the ATP have set up with the mandatory events.

"You feel like you lose a lot if you don't show up and play, both economically, point-wise, ranking-wise and opportunity-wise.

"I know these weeks and months are really important for the remainder of the year and for my career. Of course, if my leg is broken, I won't play.

Nuno Borges defeats the double finalist in four sets. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/0cIx9MdQT1

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2025

"But it's tough anyway, especially when there's a time with mandatory events to skip them because the punishments are hard, everyone else will play, gain points, and you won't.

"Also, there is a certain bonus system set up that is reduced if you don't show up to the mandatory events.

"It's a questionable system because on one hand, you don't want to show up injured, and you maybe give the spot to another one.

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but if you don't play a mandatory event, they cut 25% of your year-end bonus.

"You are kind of forcing players to show up injured or sick, or whatever, when that is not what I think is very fair."

It marks a disappointing end to an otherwise impressive clay season for Ruud, who came to Paris on the back of a Madrid Open title win and a run to the quarter-finals in Rome.

Ruud was asked if the injury might impact his involvement in the upcoming grass-court season, which culminates with Wimbledon at the end of June.

"We'll see. I'll go home and do some more scans as soon as possible and see if there's anything that has changed," he said.

"But between Rome and here, I took five days completely off at home. It wasn't enough to make the pain go away.

"I definitely think that I would need more than five days off, then take a status in a week or two, see where I'm at. I wish I could stay here longer.

"It leaves more time, of course, to recover for upcoming tournaments."