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World no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz claimed a win in his last pre-Australian Open match. A two-time Major winner defeated a three-time Major finalist Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 29 minutes at Rod Laver Arena. It was a repeat of the 2022 US Open final, and the Spaniard made a remarkable comeback in the opener, trailing 4-2, 40-0 before taking ten of the last 12 games to emerge at the top.
They played a decisive point in the encounter's first game, and Ruud held after a couple of deuces following a forced error. The Spaniard responded with a fine hold in game two, landing a smash winner at 30-30 and closing it with a booming serve.
Alcaraz cracked a forehand down the line winner in the third game, creating two break chances. Ruud denied them with powerful serves and held when Alcaraz netted a forehand. Carlos grabbed the fourth game after deuce for 2-2 before Casper produced a comfortable hold and held with a service winner for another advantage.
Carlos Alcaraz ousted Casper Ruud at Rod Laver Arena.
Ruud attacked on the return in the sixth game and grabbed an entertaining point at the net with a winner, creating three break points. Alcaraz sprayed a backhand error on the second, losing serve and falling 4-2 behind.
Doing everything right, Casper fired a service winner in the seventh game, forging a 40-0 advantage before fading from the court! Carlos denied three game points and earned a break chance after Casper's loose backhand. The Norwegian sprayed another backhand error, bringing the opponent back to the positive side.
With a boost on his side, the Spaniard earned three game points in the eighth game and seized the first with a service winner, locking the result at 4-4. Ruud netted a routine forehand in the ninth game and faced a break point.
He placed another backhand long, losing serve for the second straight time and allowing Alcaraz to serve for the opener at 5-4.
The Spaniard fired a service winner at 40-15, wrapping up the first set after 47 minutes.
Carlos clinched another break at the beginning of the second set and held at 15 in the next one with a volley winner at the net, rattling off six straight games. The third game saw many deuces and break chances for Alcaraz.
He seized the last with a backhand down the line winner, extending his streak and moving closer to the finish line. World no. 2 held in the fourth game with an ace, rattling off eight games and moving 6-4, 4-0 in front. Carlos defended a break point in game six and held for a 5-1 lead.
The Spaniard served for the victory at 5-2 and welcomed the Norwegian's loose backhand, sealing the deal in just under an hour and a half.