Casper Ruud acknowledges Carlos Alcaraz ‘wasn’t 100%’ after his first ever victory over the Spaniard at ATP Finals 2024
Casper Ruud admitted that Carlos Alcaraz looked stressed and not 100% physically fit during his win over the Spaniard at the ATP Finals.
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Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz (via SkySport)
Casper Ruud’s poor run of results in the second half of the season has been pretty alarming. The Norwegian star had won only two matches since the US Open and has been struggling for the majority of the indoor tournaments. But on Monday (November 11), Ruud registered a huge early shocking victory against Carlos Alcaraz.
Ruud, who was making his first appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, had a good start against Alcaraz. The 25-year-old was rock solid in his baseline, while his Spanish opponent was unable to capitalize on five break points. The World No. 7 then reeled off five consecutive games to close out the first set 6-1 in just 36 minutes.
Alcaraz thought his nightmare was over after leading 5-2 early in the second set. But, despite forging forward, he let his comeback bid get swept away by his own inconsistency. Ruud tied up the match quickly, with Alcaraz still unable to close down the Norwegian. The former, who has often praised the World No. 3, roared back winning two consecutive games to win the tie 6-1, 7-5.
The victory was Ruud’s first over Alcaraz after four matches. During the on-court interview, Ruud acknowledged that Alcaraz was not 100 percent physically okay in the match. He further explained that the 21-year-old looked stressed.
I kind of knew he was maybe dealing with a bit of a cold. I saw him sniffling around in the area here, always with a tissue for his nose. That’s a sign that maybe physically he won’t be necessarily at 100%. Of course that’s sad and not good for him. But it’s also part of the game. I knew it coming in. I tried to make him play rallies and do my best. It’s not easy. When you know someone isn’t 100%, you get stressed.
Casper Ruud said
On the other hand, the loss was Alcaraz’s third in his last four matches. The Spaniard failed to reach the final of the event last year and may be on the same course if he doesn’t step up when he faces Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev.
Casper Ruud “very happy” of earning his second Top 3 victory of the year
Casper Ruud is known for playing his best on clay and outdoor hard courts. Since the European Indoor swing, the Norwegian has struggled to perform. He won his last match in mid-October at the Stockholm Open and has exited the last three tournaments without registering a win.
Now, with a straight-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz, Ruud’s confidence is fully back. The last time the 25-year-old defeated a Top 3 opponent was at the Monte Carlo Masters in April. He beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets. After the long wait for that kind of victory, he confessed that he was “very happy” with the win.
I feel very happy of course. I think we will see Carlos play better tennis than he did today, but I took care of my chances. I have not been [full of] confidence in the past weeks or months, so it was a great win for me and hopefully I can build on it, and I would like to get some more wins while I am in Turin.
Casper Ruud said via ATP
Ruud is currently in a commanding lead going into Game 2. He needs only one win to cement his place in the semifinals of the tournament. He will face Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev on November 13.
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Victor Okechukwu
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