Photograph: Getty Images
Musetti Stuns Alcaraz
Lorenzo Musetti stunned Carlos Alcaraz in the Hamburg Open Final 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4 to win the first title of his career.
The 20-year-old Italian will be inside the Top 50 of the ATP rankings for the first time in his career.
Both players showed signs of nerves as they exchanged breaks of serve in the opening games. However, it was Musetti who gained a crucial break of serve in the seventh game of the first set and was then comfortably able to serve out the set.
The second set went to a tiebreak with both men playing breathtakingly good tennis. Musetti lost his rhythm towards the end of the second set tiebreaker, giving up two match points, allowing Alcaraz to pounce and send the match into a deciding set.
A break of serve in the 10th game of the third set was all Musetti needed to claim the biggest win of his career.
"I have no words because it was a roller-coaster until the end. I had so many match points. Carlos was so good on the match points, [I had] so many chances," Musetti said in his on-court interview.
"But I think the key of the match was to keep calm and [have] all the patience [with] myself because it was really not easy. Carlos was putting so much effort in the match points when he was down, so it was not easy to find the energy to come back.
"But I cannot describe what I am feeling right now. I think I am still dreaming."
Despite the loss, Carlos Alcaraz will become the youngest player since Rafael Nadal to enter the top 5 of the ATP Rankings.
Photograph: Getty Images
Ruud Prevails in Gstaad
Casper Ruud claimed back-to-back titles at the Swiss Open in Gstaad, defeating Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 in the final.
The win was Ruud’s third title of the season and his eighth career title on clay.
The open exchanges saw both men showing off their forehands with some scintillating shot-making. However, it was Berrettini who was able to gain the upper hand, breaking Ruud’s serve in the fifth game of the set. Despite needing over 10 minutes, the big-hitting Italian managed to consolidate his break and go on to serve out the first set.
With both men easily holding serve in the second set, a tiebreaker was needed to split them. Ruud capitalised on some loose shots from Berrettini to ensure the final went to a deciding set. The Norwegian carried his momentum into the third set, breaking the Italian twice to claim the title.
Post-match, the Norwegian was pleased with the way he was able to turn the match around.
“I changed [things] up a little bit in the third set especially, which helped,” said Ruud. “The games and the points go by here fast. If you are not ready and focussed, you can get broken or you can break, because the conditions allow you to.
Despite not coming out on top, Berrettini will be pleased with his week, having not played since testing positive for Covid-19.
“I felt really close to winning the title, but that’s tennis," said Berrettini in his post-match interview.
"A couple of balls went out by a few centimetres, and I found myself in the third. I have to say he started to play better, and I felt the momentum switched a little bit. I’m proud of the week and the way I fought through the whole tournament, but now it is tough not to think about the final.”
Ruud will now look to carry his good form into the American hard-court season.
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