(New York) Very solid, Casper Ruud (7e world), qualified for the semi-finals of the US Open, where he is aiming for a first Grand Slam title, by being intractable 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) against the ‘Italian Matteo Berrettini (14e), Tuesday in New York.
Posted at 3:06 p.m.
Updated at 3:34 p.m.
The 23-year-old Norwegian, who reached the last four for the first time at Flushing Meadows, will try to do better against Australian Nick Kyrgios (25e), scarecrow of the tournament, or the Russian Karen Khachanov (31e).
Under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe, the rain having set in for the day in New York, Ruud’s very aggressive start led with a beating drumbeat, combined with Berrettini’s irrelevant start, who accumulated unforced errors (40 against 23), allowed the Norwegian to lead two sets to nothing after only 1:14.
“It was my best start of the tournament. Everything was going my way and Matteo didn’t serve as well as usual. I got a little nervous towards the end of the second run because things were going a little too well. You think you can walk on water, which you can’t,” he commented.
The Italian, who managed to unbreak in the second set, had shown the beginnings of a possible reversal. Impression confirmed at the start of the third set, since he escaped 3-0, finally starting to return his shots inside the court, cornering his rival more and more.
The title and the throne?
But Ruud didn’t let that fool him. After saving two set points, he managed to steal the Italian’s service then fell back into his traps, rushing into his ball strikes.
And in the tiebreaker, the Norwegian, still as solid and regular, did not fail to end it.
Clay-court specialist, on which he has won eight of his nine titles on the circuit, including three in 2022 in Buenos Aires, Geneva and Gstaad, with in the meantime a lost final at Roland-Garros against the king of ocher Rafael Nadal, Ruud is taking a big step on cement this season.
In April, he made it to the final at the Masters 1000 in Miami. Ease confirmed at the Masters 1000 in Montreal in early August where he stopped in half.
In New York, he was not particularly impressive, notably pushed to the five innings by the American Tommy Paul in 3e round. But his fourth authoritative victory in six confrontations against Berrettini demonstrates his ability to raise his level of play.
What allow him to feed the dream of a possible first coronation in Major, coupled with the possibility of finishing world No.1 at the end of the tournament.
A cherry that will land on the “cheese cake”, New York cake par excellence, if he wins the tournament or if he reaches the final and Carlos Alcaraz, current 4e world at 19, does not reach it.