Norwegian tennis star Casper Ruud recently credited his fiancée, Maria Galligani, for supporting his decision to travel to Australia despite her pregnancy. The World No. 12 had earlier revealed that he could be forced to cut short his Australian swing, as the couple is awaiting the arrival of their first child.
While Ruud remains focused on his commitments in Australia, he recently reiterated that he would surely return home and leave the tournament midway should the birth take place.
Casper Ruud Credits Fiancée Maria Galligani for Backing His Australia Visit During Pregnancy
Casper Ruud and his fiancée, Galligani, announced in September 2025 that they were expecting their first child, a milestone that quickly drew widespread attention. The couple is from Norway and currently lives in Oslo. Ruud made their relationship public in 2018, sharing snapshots from their travels to London and Paris on Instagram.
What stands out even more is Galligani’s unwavering support of the Norwegian’s professional pursuits. She has been a constant presence throughout Ruud’s tennis journey, frequently seen in the stands, cheering him on during his matches.
As previously noted, Ruud and Galligani announced in September last year that they were expecting their first child. Speaking ahead of his campaign at the ASB Classic in Auckland, Ruud said he is eagerly anticipating the birth of his first child, acknowledging that its timing could see him depart the tournament in between.
Ruud recently credited his fiancée for supporting his decision to travel to Australia, acknowledging that her encouragement came despite her being in the later stages of pregnancy, which made the gesture especially meaningful to him.
“You know, I have to give credit to Maria for actually letting me go. I mean, not letting me go, but letting me leave to Australia in the first place because I mean, when you are pregnant, and going towards the later stages,” he said in an interview with Gill Gross.
Ruud said there were reasons for him to stay home, but Galligani encouraged him to compete in Australia.
“There are of course, tempting to ask me to stay. But she let me go, and we made a deal that of course I will come home if it happens. But it was big for Maria to let me go all the way down here to at least try and give it a shot down under and see what happens. But yeah, I promise to come home, if she starts,” he added.
Ruud confirmed the couple’s engagement in November 2024, sharing a series of photos from their beachside proposal on Instagram. The pair is reportedly set to exchange vows later this year.
Although Ruud made his way to Australia, his lead-up to the Australian Open couldn’t get off to a decent start. Entering the ASB Classic in Auckland as the second seed, the Norwegian received a bye into the second round, where he suffered a straight-sets defeat to Fábián Marozsán, bringing his campaign to an early end.
