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Alcaraz Wins Epic Against Tiafoe, Sets Historic Winner-Takes-All US Open Final

  • Posted: Sep 10, 2022

Alcaraz Wins Epic Against Tiafoe, Sets Historic Winner-Takes-All US Open Final

Third seeds will play Ruud for the trophy

Carlos Alcaraz on Friday evening guaranteed there will be a winner-takes-all US Open final for the season’s final Grand Slam trophy and the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

The third seed battled past home favourite Frances Tiafoe 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 after four hours and 19 minutes to reach his first major championship match. Alcaraz is the second teen to make the US Open final in the Open Era, joining legendary American Pete Sampras.

“To be honest in the semi-final of a Grand Slam you have to give everything… we have to fight until the last ball. It doesn’t matter if we are fighting for five hours, six hours. It doesn’t matter. You have to give everything on court,” Alcaraz said. “Frances gave everything on court. This is amazing.”

Alcaraz, who has won three consecutive five-setters lasting a combined 13 hours and 28 minutes, will face Norwegian Casper Ruud for the title. The winner will claim his first Slam crown as well as World No. 1. If the Spaniard triumphs, he will become the youngest World No. 1 in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings (since 1973). 

“It’s amazing to be able to fight for big things. First time in the final of a Grand Slam. I can see the No. 1 in the world, but at the same time it’s so far away,” Alcaraz said. “I have one more to go against a player who is unbelievable. He deserves to play a final. He played the final of a Grand Slam in Roland Garros. This is my first time. 

“I’m going to give everything that I have. I will have to handle the nerves of being in a final of a Grand Slam, but obviously I’m really, really happy and as I said before every match, I’m going to enjoy. I’m going to enjoy the moment and let’s see what happens.”

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Tiafoe put up an admirable fight against the two-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, playing aggressively and winning two memorable tie-breaks to move to 8-0 in tie-breaks at this year’s US Open. But Alcaraz never faltered under the pressure inside a raucuous Arthur Ashe Stadium, improving to 8-1 in five-setters, including 5-0 at Flushing Meadows.

The home favourite showed no fear, no matter the deficit he faced. Late in the fourth set, Tiafoe could be heard saying “I’m putting my heart on the f****** line” twice in a row. But ultimately, Alcaraz played from in front for too long in the match for the 22nd seed to overcome.

“I gave everything I had left tonight,” Tiafoe said. “Too good Carlos, I am happy I got to share the big stage with you.” 

The key came at 1-1 in the second set, when Tiafoe earned a break point to go up a set and a break. Alcaraz carved a poor drop shot, to which Tiafoe replied with a drop shot of his own, missing wide. Instead of surging ahead by a set and a break, he allowed the Spaniard to gain momentum.

As well as Tiafoe did in the first hour of the match to prevent his opponent from dominating baseline play, he struggled to slow down the ‘Alcaraz Avalanche’ the rest of their clash. The reigning Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion broke for a 4-2 lead in the set and found his best tennis from there.

The longer the match went on, it was clear Tiafoe was fighting to reach a state of neutrality in the action. He was throwing all the shots in his arsenal at Alcaraz, but was unable to put the third seed into discomfort long enough for the five-time ATP Tour titlist to drop his level.

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Battle For World No. 1 At US Open Down To Ruud & Alcaraz

Alcaraz took Tiafoe’s best shots and as soon as the American slowed down his flurry, he accelerated like a runaway train rolling downhill. What proved especially costly for the home favourite was his low first-serve percentage of 47 per cent, which gave Alcaraz an opportunity to take the initiative far too often.

The crowd, which is almost always on Tiafoe’s side, urged both men on, cheering the many incredible rallies between the pair. The fans helped the American hang on in the fourth set, recovering a service break twice during a stretch of four consecutive breaks.

Alcaraz showed no ill effects physically following his quarter-final epic against Jannik Sinner, which was the second-longest match in US Open history (five hours, 15 minutes), resulting in the latest-ever finish at the tournament (2:50 a.m.). So despite Tiafoe playing a courageous fourth-set tie-break, the Spaniard was physically ready for the decider.

Although Alcaraz relinquished one break advantage in the fifth set, he did not let slip a second. After Tiafoe missed a final shot in the net, the Spaniard fell to his back and celebration. Tiafoe quickly went to the other side of the court and the pair shared a warm embrace. Alcaraz became the first player on Tour to reach 50 wins in 2022, improving to 50-9 on the season.

Despite the loss, Tiafoe enjoyed a breakthrough tournament, advancing to his first major semi-final. During his run, the American stunned 22-time Slam winner Rafael Nadal and upset ninth seed Andrey Rublev.

Did You Know?
The longer the points went, the more they tilted in Alcaraz’s favour. The 19-year-old won 67 per cent of points (72/107) that lasted at least five shots.

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Ruud Analyses 55-Shot Rally That Turned US Open Semi-final

  • Posted: Sep 10, 2022

Ruud Analyses 55-Shot Rally That Turned US Open Semi-final

Norwegian is into his second major final

Casper Ruud advanced to his second Grand Slam final and his first at the US Open with a four-set win against Karen Khachanov on Friday. One point might have made all the difference.

At 6/5 in the first-set tie-break, the pair engaged in a long rally. Neither man took control of the point until Ruud unleashed a backhand up the line that Khachanov missed into the net. The 55-shot rally not only earned Ruud the set, but gave him a heavy dose of momentum leading into the set set, which he claimed 6-2.

“It was a very important point in the match. Of course, set point. I had not wasted two because he served well on the two previous set points. I knew this [was] a chance to win the first set. I’m on my serve,” Ruud recalled. “I missed a serve by small margins the first serve. Looked like it could be an ace. Second serve we played for the rally. I think we both just refused to do a mistake knowing how important that point is.”

Both players struck the ball with plenty of margin until Ruud cracked the backhand that ultimately decided the point.

“That’s fun with tennis because some of the best rallies of all time, longer rallies of all times, often come in important points because we both realise how important it is. You don’t want to do a mistake,” Ruud said. “Towards the end the pulse was getting very high and the legs were almost shaking at a point. I was able to at one point there where I just ripped the backhand down the line and went for it sort of. Could stretch my arms in the air and win the first set.

“Like I said, I think it was a key factor to win the second set, and that gave of course motivation and energy to play good and keep going in the second.”

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Ruud Seals US Open Final Spot, Continues World No. 1 Quest

The 55-stroke rally was the longest of the tournament as of the end of the match, according to tournament officials. The next-longest rally of the event came between Daniil Medvedev and Wu Yibing, which lasted 36 shots, in the third round.

Although Khachanov battled hard, the lengthy rally put him in too deep of a hole. Ruud moved into his second major final of the season, after also reaching the championship match at Roland Garros.

The stakes will be even higher for Ruud on this occasion. If Carlos Alcaraz defeats Frances Tiafoe in tonight’s second semi-final, Ruud will need to beat Alcaraz for the trophy on Sunday to leave New York with the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

“I think what’s most fair is if we both reach the final and whoever wins the final reaches the World No. 1. That would be I think the ideal situation,” Ruud said. “If I go to bed as No. 1, I will sleep pretty damn well, I guess.”

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Battle For World No. 1 At US Open Down To Ruud & Alcaraz

  • Posted: Sep 10, 2022

Battle For World No. 1 At US Open Down To Ruud & Alcaraz

Nadal eliminated from contention

The battle for No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings at the US Open is down to two players: Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz.

When Ruud defeated Karen Khachanov in the US Open semi-finals, he eliminated Rafael Nadal from contention. If Alcaraz loses to Frances Tiafoe in tonight’s second semi-final, Ruud will become the first Norwegian World No. 1 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

If Alcaraz reaches the championship match, Sunday’s final between the Spaniard and Ruud will be for a Grand Slam trophy and World No. 1.

Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings Round By Round

 Player  SF  F  Title
 Casper Ruud  5,460  5,850  6,650
 Carlos Alcaraz  5,460  5,940  6,740

Ruud, who entered the tournament as World No. 7, is currently No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Alcaraz is trying to become the youngest No. 1 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings history. The 19-year-old can break the mark set by Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 when he became World No. 1 in 2001.

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Ruud Seals US Open Final Spot, Continues World No. 1 Quest

  • Posted: Sep 10, 2022

Ruud Seals US Open Final Spot, Continues World No. 1 Quest

Norwegian moves closer to World No. 1

Casper Ruud moved past Karen Khachanov 7-6(5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 at the US Open on Friday to reach his second Grand Slam final, further boosting his chances of rising to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The Norwegian soaked up the 27th seed’s powerful hitting while he won an epic 55-shot rally to win the first set. The fifth seed played with great intensity throughout the three-hour clash as he forced the 26-year-old into errors to move to within one win of capturing his maiden major title.

Ruud, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros final in June, will face #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz or American Frances Tiafoe in the championship match. Should the fifth seed triumph in New York, he will become the first Norwegian to rise to World No. 1 on Monday. He will also climb to top spot if Tiafoe eliminates two-time ATP Masters 1000 champion Alcaraz in tonight’s semi-final. By reaching the final, Ruud ended Rafael Nadal’s hopes of returning to World No. 1 Monday.

“This match today was another great match from my side,” Ruud said in his on-court interview. “I think we were both a bit nervous at the beginning, a few breaks back and forth. But you have to take into account that this match is probably the biggest in both of our careers. Of course there will also be some nerves but I was fortunate to win that first set, which calmed my nerves a little bit.

“I played phenomenal in the second and Karen stepped up in the third. It was back and forth like every five-setter is, but I am just so happy. After Roland Garros I was extremely happy but of course humble enough to think that could be my only final at a Grand Slam in my career. It doesn’t come easy, but here I am back again a couple [of] months later.”

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The 23-year-old had never been beyond the third round in four previous appearances in New York. However, he has looked at home on the North American hard courts this fortnight, eliminating seeds Tommy Paul and Matteo Berrettini en route to the semi-finals.

In a confident display against Khachanov, the Norwegian demonstrated great movement to fend off danger. He also caused damage from his own racquet, opening his shoulders in the second and fourth sets to improve to 2-0 in their ATP Head2Head series.

Ruud has drawn level with Cameron Norrie on 44 tour-level wins this season. Only Alcaraz (49) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (46) have earned more. The nine-time tour-level titlist has lifted trophies in Buenos Aires, Geneva and Gstaad in 2022, while he advanced to the final in Miami.

Both showed signs of nerves in a tight first set as the size of the occasion seemed to get to them. Four breaks were exchanged in the opening eight games, before they started to find great control and rhythm on serve. With a tie-break needed to decide the opener, it was Ruud who clinched the set in style.

Serving at 6/5, the Norwegian outlasted Khachanov in a high-quality 55-shot rally. Ruud locked down off both wings and then fired a backhand down the line that the 27th seed could only push into the net. The 23-year-old raised his arms aloft and embraced the New York roar as he walked back to his chair.

With the first set under his belt, Ruud looked more relaxed during the second set and started to hurt Khachanov off the ground. The Norwegian struck 12 winners and committed just two unforced errors in the set to move further clear.

However, Khachanov refused to go away and was strong on serve in the third set, winning 85 per cent (17/20) of points behind his first delivery. He then returned with great depth in the 12th game to secure a foothold in the match. Ruud was not to be denied, though. He struck a stunning forehand winner down the line to break for 2-1 and then held his nerve on serve to advance.

The 27th seed Khachanov was competing in his first major semi-final, having clawed past Montreal Champion Pablo Carreno Busta and Washington champion Nick Kyrgios in five sets in his past two matches. Despite falling to Ruud, the four-time tour-level titlist is up to No. 18 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings following his run at the hard-court event.

Did You Know?
Ruud will qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals if he wins the title on Sunday. The Norwegian, who reached the semi-finals at the end-of-year event in 2021, would become the third singles player to qualify, joining Nadal and Alcaraz.

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