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| - Casper Ruud reached the Geneva ATP final on Friday and revealed he will prepare for the French Open by hitting with 13-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal at the Spaniard's base in Mallorca next week. Norway's Ruud made it to the title match by beating world number 75 Pablo Andujar 6-3, 6-2. On Saturday, the third seed faces second seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov, who overcame Uruguayan veteran Pablo Cuevas 6-4, 7-5, for the title. World number 24 Ruud has already made the semi-finals on clay at Monte Carlo, Munich and Madrid this year. "I will go to Mallorca to relax a day or two and then practise a couple of days before going to Paris. Rafa is there preparing for Roland Garros, so it will be very good preparation," Ruud, 22, told reporters. "He's eager to play a little bit next week, so I have to enjoy maybe a day or two off and then be ready for tough practises with him." Spanish clay-court specialist Andujar knocked out Roger Federer in the round of 16 as the Swiss great finds his feet again after undergoing double knee surgery and spending more than a year out. Ruud has played in three previous tour finals, all on clay, winning the Buenos Aires title in February last year. Saturday marks the his first final appearance in Europe. "It means a lot and it gives me also good confidence going into Roland Garros knowing I have been playing good matches in a row," he said. "It's the last day of the tournament that we're all fighting to get to. "It's the ultimate goal to try to win the whole tournament and the finals are the biggest matches we have." rjm/nl/dj/iwd
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