Casper Ruud, runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022 and 2023, won 6-4, 1-6 and 6-4 against world number one Novak Djokovic and qualified this Saturday for the final of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, where he will face the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I had to play very well, otherwise, I knew it would be impossible for me to win. I was fortunate to win the first set and I had never managed to win a set until today,” highlighted the 25-year-old Norwegian.
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Indeed, in five matches so far between the two, including the final of the last Roland Garros, Djokovic had always beaten Ruud, without giving up a set.
Ruud, who in addition to his two runners-up at Roland Garros was also runner-up at the US Open in 2023, had until now the semi-final he lost in 2021 against Andrey Rublev as his best result on the clay of Monaco. At Masters 1000 it will be the second final for Ruud, after the one he lost in Miami in 2022.
Djokovic struggled in Saturday’s match from the start, conceding a break, which allowed his opponent to take the initiative.
At the beginning of the second set, Djokovic seemed to show fatigue, with gestures of certain exhaustion and puffing during the change of side of the court, on a hot day in the Principality.
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Despite this, Djokovic was able to dominate the second set against a Ruud who seemed to get nervous and committed double faults.
In the decisive set, Ruud started strong, quickly distancing himself with 3-0. Djokovic reacted and balanced 4-4.
Ruud won with his serve to go 5-4 and then, with a break as at the beginning of the match, he left the duel for a decision at 6-4.
“Now I’m going to try to have a good night, to be as prepared as possible for the final,” promised the Nordic tennis player.
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2024-04-13 21:01:35
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