Swiss air brings out the best in casper ruud.
The top seed engineered a mid-match turnaround in the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad on Sunday to complete a 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 victory against Matthew Berrettini for the title
Second seed Berrettini appeared in control in the final of the ATP 250 clay court event after taking the first set and forging the only three break points of the second. However, Ruud pushed hard to clinch the second-set tie-break and dominated the final set with his powerful forehand to secure his ninth ATP Tour title, and eighth on clay, with victory in two hours and 34 minutes. . .
“I changed [things] he went up a little bit in the third set especially, which helped,” said Ruud when asked how he had completed his comeback. “Games and points go by fast here. If you are not ready and focused, you can break or you can break, because the conditions allow it.
“So it was key for me to hold serve, I did that in the second set. Saving those break points was very important to me and everything went in my favor in the tie-break. So that was a bit lucky. I just tried to keep that momentum going in the third set and was able to get a break and play better and better throughout the third set.”
“I felt very close to winning the title, but that’s tennis,” Berrettini said after the match. “A couple of balls went by a few inches and I found myself in the third. I must say that he started to play better and I felt the momentum changed a little bit. I’m proud of the week and the way I fought throughout the tournament, but now it’s hard not to think about the final.”
With his successful title defense, Ruud improved his tour-level record in Switzerland to 16-0. As well as his Gstaad titles, the 23-year-old has also lifted the trophy in the last two editions of the Gonet Geneva Open.
“I think Switzerland is a country with a lot of history now in tennis, winning a lot of Grand Slams with Roger. [Federer] and Stan [Wawrinka] the last 18 or 19 years,” Ruud said. “So it’s been an inspiration to everyone around the world, including me, that you can come from a small country, something like Norway. Everything about Switzerland reminds me a bit of Norway.”
Berrettini and Ruud were tied 2-2 in their ATP Head2Head series heading into Sunday’s final, and that record was reflected in a tight first set that was ultimately decided at crucial moments in games five and six. Berrettini’s clean strikes, particularly from the right flank, enabled him to convert his second break point for a 3-2 lead and the Italian fended off three break chances in the next game.
That flurry of break point opportunities was followed by a period of service dominance. After Berrettini stayed solid behind his shot to see out the first set, seven of the 12 games in the second set were taken to love by the server. Despite Ruud appearing under pressure after losing the first point on serve in the tie-break, the top seed steadily crushed his forehand to earn five points in a row for a 5/1 lead that proved unassailable for the 2018 champion. , Berrettini.
That breakthrough seemed to further energize Ruud, and the World No. 5 dictated proceedings in the final set when a double break of Berrettini’s previously impenetrable serve ensured the Norwegian finally cruised to victory having won 80 per cent ( 45/56) of the points behind. his own delivery.
“It’s not easy to talk after such a tough loss, but congratulations to Casper and his team,” said Berrettini at the trophy ceremony. “They are having an incredible season, with the final [at Roland Garros] and winning a lot of games.”
By breaking Berrettini’s 12-match win streak, Ruud improved his match record for 2022 to 35-13. The victory also cements Ruud’s position in fourth place in the ATP Race To Turin From Pepperstone as he attempts to qualify for the season finale. Nitto ATP Finals for the second time.