US Open: Casper Ruud of Norway defeated Matteo Berrettini in straight sets to get to his first US Open semifinal and raise his chances of winning the world’s number one ranking.
On his way to defeating Italian Berrettini 6-1 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in the third round, Ruud saved two set points.
The winner of the match between the French Open semifinalist and Carlos Alcaraz would advance to the top of the men’s game, giving him a chance to surpass Rafael Nadal in the rankings.
Given that Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Marin Cilic were all defeated in the fourth round, the Norwegian is unquestionably in the running to win his first grand slam championship.
Make it ✌️ Grand Slam semifinals in 2022 for Casper Ruud. pic.twitter.com/kugfsfWso5
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2022
I don’t want to give the rating too much thought, Ruud stated. Of course, it’s a fantasy that every young player has. Let’s see if I can make it happen.
“Of course, it’s a little bit of extra motivation to dig in. If I’m very, very lucky, I can leave New York as world number one.”
Initially having success on clay, Ruud has evolved into an all-court player, relying primarily on his strong forehand, consistency, and quickness.
He dominated Berrettini early on, surging into a 6-1 5-1 lead before the Italian fought back and turned the second set into a contest.
Berrettini then had a 5-2 lead and two set points in the third, but Ruud fought back and won the tie-break to go to his second Grand Slam semifinal.
The 23-year-old claimed: “I never had a better start to a game; everything was going my way. I was able to manage the opportunities I was given.
“I got a little bit nervous towards the end of the second set because things were almost going too well. Sometimes you can get a little bit excited and think that you can walk on water. I managed to serve out the second set and the third was very tough.”
Ruud now faces the prospect of facing Nick Kyrgios in the semi-finals. The fifth seed said: “He’s reached the final at Wimbledon and he’s in the quarters here, so obviously he has improved. He will be a dangerous player for sure. Let’s see if there will be some drama or not – but I’m ready for anything.”
