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No. 1 seed Casper Ruud was very happy with his Bastad semifinal performance on Saturday. Ruud, ranked at No. 16 in the world, beat world NO. 97 Roberto Carballes Baena 6-1 6-4 to reach the Bastad final. “I played a very good first set, I am very happy,” Ruud said, per the ATP website.
“[The second set] was a bit back and forth, I started to get a bit nervous towards the end. I started to play the points to quickly and didn’t play my game. That is natural when you are feeling the nerves. “I am looking forward to the final.
It is my fifth final of my career, and I am looking to make it three titles and my second one this year. I hope we can have some Scandinavian cheering”.
Ruud routinely handled Carballes Baena
Ruud made an outstanding start to the match, having claimed back-to-back breaks to take an early 5-0 lead.
Carballes Baena served out the sixth game to end Ruud's run but the Norwegian served out for the opener in the following game. The second set started with three consecutive breaks as Ruud led 2-1 after the opening three games.
Carballes Baena broke back Ruud for the second time in the set in the eighth game to level the set at four games apiece. However, Ruud kept his focus as he claimed his third break of the set in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead.
Ruud then routinely served out for the match in the following game. Ruud will be fighting against Argentine Federico Coria for the Bastad title. Coria, who is enjoying a career-high ranking of No. 77 in the world, saw off Yannick Hanfmann 6-2 6-1 to reach his maiden ATP final.
"I am very happy. It is my first final tomorrow," Coria said. "I played the best tennis of my life today here in Bastad. It is amazing [here]. It is beautiful."