World No. 12 Casper Ruud revealed that he may have to leave the Australian swing midway, as he is expecting the birth of his first child. The Norwegian will soon open his 2026 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where he will receive a direct entry into the second round as the second seed.
Ruud and fiancée Maria Galligani made waves earlier in September 2025 when they announced they were expecting their first child.
Casper Ruud May Leave the Australia Swing for Vitally Important Family Reasons
Ruud and Galligani are both from Norway and currently live together in Oslo. The couple has been together since 2018 and made their relationship public in November that year, when Ruud shared photos from their trips to London and Paris on Instagram.
Galligani has been a consistent source of support throughout Ruud’s tennis journey and is often seen cheering him on from the stands during his matches.
Ruud confirmed the couple’s engagement in November 2024, sharing a series of beachside photos from the proposal on Instagram. He wrote “Can’t wait to marry you” adding a ring and heart emoji and celebrating a significant moment for the couple after six years together.
As noted, the couple announced last September that they were expecting their first child, and Ruud recently talked about the same ahead of his campaign in Auckland. Ruud said he is eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child, which could happen at any time, and admitted it may force him to leave the tournament abruptly. He added that the couple also plans to celebrate their wedding later this year.
“One of the biggest moments will be welcoming our first child back home. Honestly, she (the baby) can come any time now. So hopefully I get to stay for the rest of the tournament, but you never know. I might get a call and be on the plane back home out of here. It’s no short trip back home so hopefully she stays in for a few extra weeks and I can be there for the birth, and later in the year we’ll have our wedding and celebrate our marriage,” he said.
So the duration of Casper’s stay down under will depend not only on his match results 👶
(🎥 https://t.co/CZWmjTPt8J) pic.twitter.com/iD20danrHq
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) January 11, 2026
If what Ruud described as one of the biggest moments of his life does not coincide with the latter stages of the Australian swing, the Norwegian could have a golden opportunity to push for his first Grand Slam title.
The 26-year-old finished the 2025 season with a 39–16 win–loss record, winning two titles, a Masters 1000 crown in Madrid and another in Stockholm. Ruud will be looking to build on that momentum and push his way back into the top 10 this year.
