How Carlos Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud to become US Open champion, World no. 1

Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beat Norwegian Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 at Flushing Meadows on Sunday to become the new US Open champion. He is also the new world no. 1, at 19, the youngest ever to top ATP rankings. 

Casper Ruud, 23, lost his second Grand Slam final of the year. He had lost the French Open final to Rafael Nadal, whom both the young tennis stars. He is now World no. 2, his career best rank. 

This is the first career Grand Slam win for Alcaraz; it was his first Slam final. He came into the match having spent a whopping 14 hours on the court in his last three matches, all five-setters.

This is how Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud US Open 2022 final played out, game by game, at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center: 

Set 4: Game, set and match for Carlos Alcaraz

Game 9: Alcaraz opens the scoring with the first point. He goes on to take a 30-0 lead. Ruud scores his first point as the score becomes 15-30. However, the Spanish sensation comes back and makes the score 15-40 and gets a championship point, which goes to waste as Ruud makes it 30-40. 

In the second championship point, Alcaraz wins the game. He’s the new US Open champion!

Game 8: Ruud races to a 40-0 lead and wins the game. Alcaraz fails to win the match in this game. It’s 3-5. 

Game 7: Ruud races to a 30-0 lead before Alcaraz makes the score 30-40 and wins the game. It’s 2-5 now.

Alcaraz has now registered six aces in the match and has won 80% of the total first serve points. He also has a chance of winning the match in the next game.

Game 6: The Spanish sensation scores the first point before Ruud makes it 15-all. He goes on to take a 30-40 lead before he breaks Ruud. It’s 2-4.

Game 5: Alcaraz races to a 40-0 lead before Ruud scores his first point. However, the Spaniard stays his ground and wins the game. It’s 2-3.

Game 4: A standard exchange between the two players are going on. Both are looking tired and are looking to play safe. The intensity has decreased exponentially. Ruud wins the game. It’s 2-2.

Game 3: Alcaraz races to a 30-0 lead before Ruud scores his first point. The Norwegian goes ahead to drop the game. It’s 2-1 in favour of Alcaraz.

Game 2: The Norwegian takes the first point once again and races to a 30-15 lead. He goes on to win the second game. It’s 1-1.

Game 1: Ruud takes the first point but Alcaraz bounces back soon. The Spaniard takes a 30-40 lead and goes on to claim the first game. It’s 1-0. 

Set 3: Alcaraz wins 6-7, up two sets to one

Tiebreak: Score becomes 1-1 before Alcaraz races to a 6-1 lead. He goes on to win the tiebreak and the third set. It’s 6-7. 

Game 12: Alcaraz opens the scoring but Ruud makes it 15-all. The score races to 30-all soon after. Ruud receives a set point in the tiebreaker set but ends up giving an advantage to Alcaraz. Nothing comes out of the advantage but Alcaraz receives another one soon after and it becomes deuce. More advantages continue for both players but it’s Alcaraz who ends up winning the game and makes it 6-6. It’s a tiebreak now!

Game 11: Ruud makes it 15-0 after some close counters of lobs between the two players. Ruud goes on to score his first ace of the match. Ruud has also won 12 first serves in the third set, compared to Alcaraz’s 13. He goes on to win the game. It’s 6-5.   

Game 10: Alcaraz races to a 40-15 lead after Ruud takes the first point. He goes on to win the game, denying Ruud from winning the set. It’s 5-5!

Game 9: Ruud scores the first game again but Alcaraz scores his first point with a well-timed drop shot, making the score 30-all. A rally ensures next as 17 shots are exchanged between the players, the most in the game. Ruud takes lead but Alcaraz equalizes at 40-all in the very next point. Alcaraz tries to put in a drop shot but ends up giving the advantage to Ruud, who wins the game. It’s 5-4 in favour of the Norwegian.

Game 8: Ruud is looking increasingly confident now. The 23-year-old scores the first point in the eighth game. Alcaraz seems to be fatigued and his footwork looks out of balance. However, Alcaraz still goes on to take the lead in 30-40 before winning the game. It’s 4-4.

Game 7: Ruud goes on to take a 40-0 lead before Alcaraz scores his first point. However, the Norwegian wins the game in the next point. It’s 4-3. 

As surprising as it might sound, Ruud is yet to register an ace in the match. However, he has won seven of nine break points, compared to Alcaraz’s five out of eight.

Game 6: Alcaraz has won seven winners till now. He races to a 40-0 lead in the sixth game. However, Ruud makes a comeback as he scores his first point. Alcaraz goes on to claim the game in the next point. It’s 3-3.

Game 5: Ruud fails to win the first point yet again but soon takes a 40-15 lead. He wins the game. It’s 3-2.

Game 4: Ruud trails in the first point before he makes it 40-15. Ruud breaks Alcaraz again, the second time in the third set as he claims the game. It’s 2-2.

Game 3: The Spaniard once again goes on to score the first point but Ruud soon makes a comeback. The score becomes 40-all as it becomes deuce. Ruud receives two advantage points before he claims the game. It’s 2-1. 

Game 2: Alcaraz races to a 40-0 lead. Ruud comes back to score a point but drops the game in the next serve. 2-0 in favour of Alcaraz.  

Game 1: Ruud trails 30-0 against Alcaraz. Ruud breaks Alcaraz’s serve soon but Alcaraz goes on to win the game. It’s 1-0.

Set 2: Ruud wins 6-2, one set all

Game 8: Alcaraz wins the first point and races to a 30-15 lead. He goes on to make two back-to-back faults, the first of the match. Ruud goes to make the score 40-all. He receives a set point but it’s deuce. Ruud goes on to receive another set point and takes the set. It’s 6-2.

Game 7: Ruud begins confidently and takes the first point. However, Alcaraz comes back soon enough. The score races to 40-all before Ruud receives an advantage. He goes on to claim the game. It’s 5-2.

Game 6: Alcaraz has won 90 first serve points till now in the second set, compared to the 75 in the first one. He goes on to take a 30-0 lead. Two lobs by Alcaraz and Ruud takes place before the Norwegian wins the point. 

Ruud goes on to break Alcaraz. It’s 4-2! 

Game 5: Alcaraz has scored five aces till now. The score becomes 15-40 in favour of Alcaraz, who then goes on to use a drop shot but it goes wide. Ruud goes on to take the lead at 40-30 but Alcaraz scores the next point, making it 40-all. Alcaraz gets a chance for a break point but it is deuce. Ruud gets an advantage next and goes on to win the game. It’s 3-2 in favour of the Norwegian.

Game 4: Ruud is on a streak. He has won the last five points, allowing Alcaraz to take none. The Norwegian starts with the first point of the game, before his opponent makes it 15-all.

Alcaraz has not missed any of his first serves (7), however, Ruud has also developed much, winning 8 of his 12 first serves till now. He goes on to win the fourth game. It’s 2-2 now!

Game 3: Ruud comes back in a strong note as he takes a 40-0 lead before making the score 2-1.

Game 2: Alcaraz races to a 40-0 lead as Ruud drops the game. It’s 1-1.

Game 1: The second set is underway. Alcaraz wins the first game, before Ruud equalizes. However, Ruud is struggling in second serves, something Alcaraz will certainly take note of. 

Ruud goes on to take a 40-30 lead and wins the first game. It’s 1-0.

Set 1: Alcaraz wins 6-4

Game 10: Alcaraz takes a 40-0 lead before receiving a set point. He goes on to win the next game and the first set with the score of 6-4.

Game 9: Ruud strikes again! The Norwegian goes on to win the ninth game after racing to a 40-0 lead. Alcaraz makes the score 40-15 but to no avail. The score stands at 5-4. 

Game 8: Official confirms the first point goes to Alcaraz as the forehand shot by Ruud bounced twice. Ruud has registered five unforced errors till now, compared to Alcaraz’s 12. Alcaraz wins the game, it’s 3-5.

Game 7: Ruud needs to be more clinical with his first serves. He races to a 40-0 lead before Alcaraz scores his first points. However, Ruud goes on to win the game. Ruud trails 3-4.

Game 6: Alcaraz scores the first point but Ruud comes back soon. Both players have won four second serves out of eight till now. Alcaraz goes on to claim the game. Ruud 2-4 Alcaraz.

Game 5: Ruud comes back with a 40-0 lead and goes on to claim the fifth game. Alcaraz fails to win any point. Ruud 2-3 Alcaraz.

Game 4: Alcaraz is starting to look more dangerous after every point. The 19-year-old once again takes a 30-0 lead in the third game before Ruud comes back with an incredible half volley drop shot to score his first point in the game. The Norwegian makes it 30-all, before going on to take a lead. He will need to concentrate on winning break points, as he has been unable to win any till now.

Alcaraz comes back with a forehand to make the score 40-all before receiving an advantage and winning the game. The Spaniard leads 3-1.

Game 3: Alcaraz races to a 40-0 lead in the third game. However, Ruud comes back to score his first point soon after but concedes the game in the next moments. Alcaraz also receives a successful break point.

Game 2: Carlos Alcaraz wins the first point in the second game. However, it is Ruud who is looking relentless. The Norwegian races to a 40-15 lead but Alcaraz come back soon, with a deuce at 40-all. The Spaniard gets an advantage next and claims the second game.

Game 1: Ruud rushes to a 30-15 lead in the first game, however, Alcaraz soon makes it 30-all. Alcaraz takes the second serve in the next game and deuce! Alcaraz makes it 30-40. Ruud makes it 40-all soon, before making Ad-in with deuce. Ruud goes on to claim the first game of the opening set.