The last Grand Slam of the ongoing year, the US Open is nearing its business end quickly. While the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios have already bowed out of the tournament, an interesting set of players have made it to the final, which includes 23-year-old Norwegian tennis star Casper Ruud.

World no.7 Ruud has been consistent in the ongoing year. He has also displayed some memorable performances in this edition’s US Open. Ruud is currently being touted as one of the favourites to win the men’s singles title in the US Open. Let’s take a look at his road to the final.

Also Read: Watch: Carlos Alcaraz’s winning moment vs Sinner in US Open quarterfinal

First round

Ruud began his 2022 US Open campaign with a win by straight sets over England’s Kyle Edmund. He defeated Edmund 3-6, 5-7, 2-6 at the Flushing Meadows on August 29. Edmund faced the French Open finalist in his return to Grand Slams for the first time since 2020, after which he underwent as many as three knee surgeries.

Ruud, the fifth seed, registered 10 aces, 80% successful first serves and six break points in the match.

Second round

Ruud faced Tim van Rijthoven of the Netherlands in the second round. The young Norwegian defeated him 7(7)-6(4), 4-6, 4-6, 4-6 on Thursday, September 1, in New York City. He conceded the first set to the Dutchman in a tie-break but made a comeback in the subsequent sets to clinch the victory. He saved six of seven break points and withstood 52 winners, including as many as 20 aces against van Rijthoven in the second round.

Also Read: Rafael Nadal’s 22-match Grand Slam winning streak ends with loss to Frances Tiafoe at US Open 2022

Third round

The Norwegian star defeated American Tommy Paul in the third round. He beat Paul 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-0 at the Louis Armstrong Stadium on Friday, September 2, 2022, in four hours 23 minutes long match. 

“Not many times you play more than four hours of tennis a day. It’s obviously a challenge,” Ruud said after the game. 

“But I felt good and I felt physically strong. I’m very happy about that. The match was so close, back and forth all the time. In the fifth set I got a really good start and kept building on it. Very happy with the level I showed in the fifth,” he added.

Also Read: Rafael Nadal’s struggle in US Open 2022

Round of 16

Casper Ruud replicated his winning performance in the Round of 16 against Corentin Moutet of France on Sunday, September 4. He defeated the Frenchman 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinal of the US Open for the first time in his career.

Quarterfinal

He beat Italian Matteo Berrettini next in the quarterfinal of the US Open 2022 on Tuesday, September 6 at the Flushing Meadows. Ruud defeated the 13th seed 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4) in a match that lasted for two hours and 30 minutes.

The win helped him become the first Norwegian player to reach the US Open semifinals, which was also his second Grand Slam semifinal of 2022, after the French Open.

“I feel like this year I have sort of figured out in the better way how to play five sets and knowing that it’s very different from playing best-of-three sets, and it often becomes much longer matches and a lot of back and forth,” he said after the match.

Also Read: US Open: Why was Nick Kyrgios fined after his quarterfinal defeat?

Semifinal

Ruud defeated Karen khachanov of Russia in the semifinal of the US Open on September 9 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Russian defeated Australian star Nick Kyrgios in the quarterfinal, but could not overcome the challenge of Rude as he fell 7-6(5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

He also became the first Norwegian men’s player to reach the final of the US Open.

Final

The Norwegian star will face Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the final. The match will also decide the new ATP no.1 and the he stands to become the first-ever Norwegian man to become the top ranked player in a calendar year.