10:55 p.m
Ruud 3-4 Alcaraz
Again the Norwegian brings through his service game with confidence. This time he concedes a point from his opponent, but it’s a bit odd. Alcaraz returns down the cross side and Ruud tries a forward punch through the legs. The ball slides into doubles, but this gimmick doesn’t cost him too much. He keeps chasing his early break.
22:51
Ruud 2-4 Alcaraz
Ruud pulls his forehand cross out of the field, but Alcaraz doesn’t remain flawless either. In the subsequent rally, his backhand lands in the net at 40:30. Will it be tight again? no Alcaraz pulls away again with his first ace.
10:47 p.m
Ruud 2-3 Alcaraz
The rallies are getting better and better. Ruud falls a little short and is immediately attacked by Alcaraz with his backhand. But he is in place and brings the attack ball back again. However, the Spaniard is ready at the net and completes the volley briefly cross. There is absolutely no sign of tiredness at Alcaraz.
10:44 p.m
Ruud 2-3 Alcaraz
With a service winner down the middle, Ruud holds through to a clean ball. For the first time in this final, the server didn’t allow a break chance.
22:41
Ruud 1-3 Alcaraz
He can not! In the forehand cross, luck is not on his side and the ball bounces off the net onto your own half of the field. The next two points also go to the 19-year-old, who can still confirm his break with a little effort.
10:39 p.m
Ruud 1-2 Alcaraz
With the score at 30:30, Ruud plays it just right. He drives his opponent out of the field and only has to get the ball over the net. In the fourth service game there is also a break opportunity. Can Ruud use these?
10:38 p.m
Ruud 1-2 Alcaraz
Casper Ruud takes the pace out of the rally with the backhand slice. Alcaraz rushes ahead and plays the volley extremely cross with the backhand. Ruud has to change direction while running forward, but still gets to the front in time. He places the ball on the baseline so that Alcaraz can only respond with the high ball. Ruud says thank you with the overhead.
22:36
Ruud 1-2 Alcaraz
Can Alcaraz confirm the early break? He has to go over the second serve and gives the ball a lot of kick. Ruud almost takes the ball by the gang and so the 19-year-old has an easy time putting the ball down in the completely open field.
22:34
Ruud 1-2 Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz cannot yet use the first break point, but then Ruud makes a minor mistake in the rally. Alcaraz has decided to increasingly use Ruud’s forehand, as this is supposedly more error-prone. The first break goes to the Spaniard!
22:32
Ruud 1-1 Alcaraz
What a start! Ruud acts too wildly and gives away two points far too quickly at 0:30. Then a rally of the extra class occurs. Both players distribute the balls from right to left, making the opponent run a lot. Alcaraz in particular is only on the move and continues to mercilessly pull through his backhand and forehand. In the end, the Norwegian is late in the corner and there are three more break chances.
10:30 p.m
Ruud 1-1 Alcaraz
The Spaniard serves to the outside and completes the point with the forehand winner to the free side. Both players allow break chances, but neither Ruud nor Alcaraz was enough for a break.
22:29
Ruud 1-0 Alcaraz
Cleverly played by Alcaraz! He slammed into the body of Ruud, who couldn’t get his returns over the net. He fends off both break opportunities and equalizes at 40:40.
22:28
Ruud 1-0 Alcaraz
Insanity! Casper Ruud jumps into his backhand and carpenters the ball longline to return winner. At the same time, the blow gives him two break chances.
22:26
Ruud 1-0 Alcaraz
How does Carlos Alcaraz get into the game? The first point goes to him, before Ruud puts his backhand longline to the passing shot with great strength at the back of the baseline. Alcaraz, who rushed forward, can only look after the ball.
22:25
Ruud 1-0 Alcaraz
Ruud gains the advantage by coming online early. The forehand volley isn’t enough for him, but the overhead ball wins the game.
22:23
Ruud 0-0 Alcaraz
That is impossible. The 23-year-old serves the first double fault for the second breakball against himself. However, Alcaraz cannot use this chance either, as his backhand cross fails on the edge of the net.
22:22
Ruud 0-0 Alcaraz
Well saved by Ruud! He remains the more offensive player in the rally and places the ball just before the baseline. As a result, Alcaraz does not hit the ball in the sweet spot. It’s about debut.
22:21
Ruud 0-0 Alcaraz
Now Ruud made two quick mistakes at 30:30. Alcaraz then pulls his backhand return longline and immediately puts Ruud in trouble. He brings his bat to the ball, but the ball lands in doubles. There is immediately the first breakball in the first service game.
22:19
Ruud 0-0 Alcaraz
The Norwegian does it very confidently. He starts with a Serice Winner and then benefits from a backhand cross from Alcaraz that slips a few inches wide.
22:18
Ruud 0-0 Alcaraz
Dinner is served! Casper Ruud opens the final with his own serve as Alcaraz confidently chose to return after the coin toss.
22:13
players are here!
The players have arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium. You get four more minutes to wrap it up and then it’s off!
22:06
Not a clear favourite
Neither Alcaraz nor Ruud are big favorites in this game. Both have played first-class tennis over the past few days and are rightly in the final. Ruud is playing his 14th final at the US Open. Nine titles went to him, all of which he won in 250 ATP tournaments. What speaks in his favor, however, is that he was already in the final at the French Open and can therefore draw on similar experience. Alcaraz, on the other hand, showed how much motivation and will he has. The finalists have faced each other twice before. Alcaraz was the winner every time. Therefore, the youngster may be a slight favorite for the title.
21:56
Ruud before big jump
On the other side is the Norwegian Casper Ruud. The 23-year-old is currently number seven in the world and could take a huge leap up the world rankings with a win. Nobody before has managed to jump from seventh place straight to the top. Ruud has played a little less than his opponent over the past two weeks. Ruud only played a five-set match against Tommy Paul. In the quarter-finals he didn’t give the well-known Matteo Berrettini a chance and Karen Khachanov didn’t think of seriously endangering the right-hander either.
21:49
Five-set man wants the title
The 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz proved in this tournament how much mental strength he already has. Not only did he survive a five-set thriller against the crowd favorite Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals, he also went the full distance in the round of 16 against Marin Cilic and in the quarter-finals against Jannik Sinner. Does he have the stamina to show his best tennis again today? With six titles on the tour, including two Masters triumphs in Miami and Madrid, he is no stranger to the pressure of the final.
21:32
Who will be the new number one?
Everything is at stake for both players today. Not only would it be the first Grand Slam title for either of them, the winner would also be crowned the new number one in the world. But even the loser of the game will make a jump in the world rankings, because whoever loses becomes the new number two in the world. Should Carlos Alcaraz climb to the top of the world rankings at the age of 19, he would replace Lleyton Hewitt as the youngest number one of all time. Hewitt was 20 years and eight months old at the time.
21:22
Warm welcome
Good evening and welcome to the men’s final. After an exciting two weeks, Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz are now fighting for the really big title. It starts at 10 p.m.!