In view of the posters for the semi-finals, the US Open was bound to give birth to an unprecedented final on Sunday. It will oppose Carlos Alcaraz to Casper Ruud, and the winner will not only win his first Grand Slam title, but also the place of world No. 1. The loser will become the dolphin of the winner.
The Spaniard, n° 4, overcame the American Frances Tiafoe on the night of Friday to Saturday (French time), after a new marathon match of 4:19: 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 , 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3. He could have shortened the proceedings if he had converted a match point at 5-4 in the 4th set. The 23-year-old Norwegian, No. 7, had previously had much less difficulty in eliminating Russian Karen Khachanov: 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.
The phenomenon Alcaraz (19 years old) will be the favorite of the final, if he has recovered from his efforts. Adding the 5.15 hours it took him to defeat Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals after an already epic fight, the Spaniard has spent more than nine and a half hours on the Arthur-Ashe court in just under two days. .
Second Major final for Ruud, first for Alcaraz
“Ruud has already played a final at Roland-Garros, it will be my first in a Major, recalled the Murcian, obviously no more experienced than that. I will leave everything on the court, but I will have to control my nerves given the context. »
Deprived in the spring by Rafael Nadal of a first coronation at Porte d’Auteuil, the Norwegian has won eight of his nine titles on the circuit, including three in 2022 in Buenos Aires, Geneva and Gstaad. But Ruud has taken a big step on cement this season. In April, he had been to the final at the Masters 1000 in Miami, where Alcaraz had stopped him, before reaching the last four at the Masters 1000 in Montreal in early August.