Final: Casper Ruud (NOR) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
Arthur Ashe Stadium — Day Session — Second Match
- This sounds oh-so-simple, but who can handle the pressure better? It’s an unprecedented final. Not only is a first Grand Slam title on the line, the champion will also be crowned the world No. 1 in Monday’s rankings. Alcaraz has coped well in the spotlight, fielding endless questions about being the ‘new Nadal.’ Will he dominate the men’s game for years to come? It could be too early to tell; however, the 19-year-old feels more prepared than his US Open breakout last September. “Now, I've played more matches in five sets, I am more prepared mentally and physically,” stated the No. 3 seed, who reached the last eight at the 2021 US Open. “It was 12 months of working hard in the gym, on the court. But I would say it's all mental.” As for Ruud, he’s been to this stage before at Roland Garros. “During Paris, something clicked,” revealed the 23-year-old. “I hope it can have prepared me a little bit. At least I know a little bit what I'm facing when I'm stepping on the court, seeing the trophy on the back of the court, seeing tons of celebrities. Even in Roland Garros, there was royal families there watching. That was a little bit new experience for me. I hope I can be more ready for that on Sunday.”
- The coaching corner is a fascinating additional facet here. Ruud has his father, former world No. 39 Christian, in his set up, who will help formulate the plan to take on the Spanish teenage sensation. The last time the world No. 1 changed post-US Open was in 2003, when Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero competed in the final, eventually losing to Andy Roddick. Will Carlos be able to repeat history for Team Alcaraz? “We talked a lot about it. He beat Agassi in the semifinals to reach the No. 1 in the world here in the US Open. He told me about how they prepare for that match,” the teenager said this week. “I going to do the same, I just going for it and enjoy the moment.”
- Plenty of players have commented on Alcaraz’s sprinter-style movement, and how he can escape from any corner of the court with his creativity and speed. Ruud’s resilience is going to be tested to the limit. His goal will be to keep Alcaraz pegged back behind the baseline and keep the 19-year-old guessing. “I think if I want to beat Carlos, I'll need to play very precise with all the shots that I hit, especially try to keep him a little bit further back in the court, to play with good depth and length on all my shots. If he steps in, he can do anything with the ball,” said Ruud, who fell short against Alcaraz on hard courts 7-5, 6-4 in the Miami Masters final in March. “He can rip a winner. He also has great touch with the dropshot. I think he has one of the best dropshots on tour. He can do both shots back and forth, it will sort of get you off guard sometimes with the dropshot. If you play with good depth and good length, it's tougher to hit dropshots. That will be something that I will try to focus on. He has beaten me a couple times and I will seek my revenge.”
- In his past three hotshot-laden battles, each spanning across five sets, Alcaraz has been prompting jaw-to-the-floor reactions to his tennis over 13 hours and 28 minutes. Of course, he’s still a teenager and takes less time to recover, but you might be thinking, 'Surely, the Alcaraz energy resources haven’t been fully replenished?' Think again. “You have to give everything you have to give. We have to fight for every last point,” the Spaniard said. “It doesn’t matter if we are fighting for five hours, six hours.” Ruud has had some turbulent, prolonged duels himself, including a mammoth 4 hours and 23 minutes over five sets against Tommy Paul in Round 3. “Tennis is a psychological game, as well as physical. Sometimes we are trying to act like we have good posture, but on the inside, we probably feel different. There is a bit of acting, as well, in sports.” Perhaps the better poker face wins.
