Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/1506668
10 Summer 2023 ITF World As Finland prepare to compete in the Davis Cup Finals for the first time, Emil Ruusuvuori talks exclusively to Kevin Palmer about choosing tennis over ice hockey, how it feels to play the big events, and enjoying the Davis Cup experience. EMIL RUUSUVUORI INTERVIEW Emil Ruusuvuori has already achieved more than he dared to believe was possible when he started out on his tennis journey. Former top 20 player Jarkko Nieminen provided the blueprint for talented young tennis players from Finland to follow after his impressive career at the top of the game, yet 24-year-old Ruusuvuori concedes the dream of playing on the biggest stages in the sport seemed unrealistic as he set out on his journey in tennis. Now the man from Helsinki is knocking on the door of the big- time after reaching a career-high ranking of No. 37 earlier this year and he also has wins against top 10 opponents Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner in 2023. Amid his success, Ruusuvuori squeezed Davis Cup heroics into his schedule, as he played a key role in propelling Finland to the Davis Cup Finals for the first time, thanks to their 3-1 defeat of Argentina in the Qualifiers. Ruusuvuori and his teammates will compete in the Group Stage in Split in September, where they will face matches against hosts Croatia, USA and Netherlands. With that crunch clash just weeks away, Ruusuvuori sat down with ITFWorld to discuss his career so far and ambitions for the future. Higher it Taking