This year’s US Open will crown a new men’s champion as two talented youngsters Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud lock horns in the final.
The Spanish sensation has recorded 50 wins this season, more than anyone else on the tour this year. Alcaraz has only lost 9 matches. He has also added four titles to his trophy cabinet and lost in the finals in two tournaments. Last year, around this time, he was not even among the top 50 players in the world. Now, he finds himself on the brink of leading the charts. All of this just at the age of 19. You can fathom the talent of this young man and what he can achieve in the years to come.
The only complain that a certain section of fans had with him was his inability to replicate his ATP tournament performances in major events. Prior to US Open 2022, his best results at Grand Slams came at the 2021 US Open and the 2022 French Open where he reached the quarterfinals.
Alcaraz’s first-round opponent Sebastian Baez had to retire during the match owing to an injury. The Spaniard faced Federico Coria, in the second round and won the match convincingly. In the third round, Alcaraz made light work of Jenson Brooksby to move into the round of 16 to face 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic. The veteran pushed Alcaraz to the fifth set but eventually lost to the determined youngster. In the quarterfinals, he faced the talented Italian – Jannik Sinner who had been giving him a tough time as of late. However, the World No. 4 got one over Sinner in five sets. In the semifinal, Alcaraz came up against an upbeat Frances Tiafoe. Backed by the fans in attendance, the American youngster took Alcaraz to the limit before the teenager got the win 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3.
Casper Ruud became the first-ever Norwegian male player to reach the US Open final. He too has had a great year thus far. He has already bagged three titles thus far. Ruud won the Argentina Open in February, defeating home favorite Diego Schwartzman in the final. He went on to win the Geneva Open and the Swiss Open in May and July respectively. He also made it to the French Open final before being outclassed by Rafael Nadal.
A certain section of fans felt that the 23-year-old was good only on clay courts. He has won 9 ATP Tour titles thus far and 8 of them have come on clay courts. However, with his performance this year at Flushing Meadows, he as showed that he is equally adept in playing on hard courts.
Ruud began his US Open 2022 campaign with a comprehensive win in straight sets against Kyle Edmund. He followed it up with a comeback win against Tim van Rijthoven in the second round. In the third round, the World No. 7 defeated Tommy Paul in five sets. Corentin Moutet and Matteo Berrettini failed to put up resistance of note against a rampaging Ruud in the fourth round and quarterfinals respectively. Ruud defeated Karen Khachanov in four sets 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to reach his second Grand Slam final of the year.
Carlos Alcaraz has defeated Casper Ruud in their two previous meetings. The Spaniard leads the head-to-head 2-0. The last time they faced each other was at the Miami Open final. Alcaraz won the match in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in five sets.
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