Turning tables in Turin! Casper Ruud notches first win over Carlos Alcaraz at ATP Finals

Casper Ruud came into his third Nitto ATP Finals appearance on a 1-7 stretch, but the Norwegian quickly put those struggles behind him with a first-time victory Monday.

Winless against Carlos Alcaraz in their four prior meetings, Ruud flipped the script in their series after surprising the crowd inside the Inalpi Arena with a 6-1, 7-5 scoreline. The 2022 runner-up reeled off the final five games in securing his first win over a Top 3 opponent on hard courts (previously 0-5) and 50th victory of the season.

“I played some really good tennis on the break points when I had to. I was able to hold him off on my own serve,” Ruud told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterwards. “I think it’s no secret that maybe physically he’s not necessarily 100 percent today. I’ve seen him around blowing his nose. Maybe he has a little bit of a cold. It looked like it, at least. We all know how great Carlos is at his best, so in a way, I was kind of lucky he wasn’t today.”

Alcaraz held two immediate break points in the opening game, but couldn’t find the court on either opportunity—a sign of what was to come for the world No. 3 to try and work through.

At 1-2, Alcaraz mistimed a backhand to fall behind 15-40—and then framed a forehand to drop serve. More miscues from the Spaniard ensued, with his backhand letting him down. Ruud saved three more break points in the fifth game before running away with the first set.

Ruud at one stage reeled off 13 consecutive serve points, though Alcaraz stepped up by taking 12 of 13 points at the line to keep pace in the second set. The four-time major winner dazzled to convert his first break of the day, stabbing a low forehand drop volley to move ahead 4-2.

But Ruud would not be denied. With Alcaraz serving for a decider, a beautiful backhand lob winner handed the Oslo native two break points at 3-5—an opportunity that was quickly converted courtesy of another unforced error from the opposition.

Alcaraz pushed a midcourt forehand long to fall behind 30-40 in the 11^th game. Ruud put the match on his racquet after returning the 21-year-old’s first serve with a backhand rocket to make it four for four on break points.

Needing three match points, Ruud appropriately closed with an ace.

“He played a good game to break me. That’s how he goes. Luckily, I clutched up and broke him twice in a row, a little bit unexpectedly,” said Ruud. “It was a really good end of the match from me. I’m happy that I was able to step up and come back from 2-5 to 7-5.”

“A bit long, nervewracking last game but I got there in the end”

Two-time champion Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev will square off in the evening session for the John Newcombe Group.