Carlos Alcaraz set up a US Open summit clash against Casper Ruud in what will be the youngest Grand Slam final in 14 years.
Alcaraz, 19, battled past home favourite Frances Tiafoe 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 after four hours and 19 minutes to reach his first major championship match.
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Earlier in the day, Ruud defeated Russia’s Karen Khachanov 7-6 (5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to also reach his US Open final.
Big respect for you, @FTiafoe! 🤝🏻 Congrats for the tournament! pic.twitter.com/eq1i4VtMV4
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) September 10, 2022
The 23-year-old Ruud and teen Alcaraz thus set up the youngest Grand Slam final since 2008 Australian Open, when a 20-year-old Novak Djokovic defeated 22-year-old Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Second teen
Alcaraz is also only the second teen to make the US Open final in the Open Era, joining legendary American Pete Sampras.
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“To be honest in the semi-final of a Grand Slam you have to give everything… we have to fight until the last ball,” the Spaniard said.
“It doesn’t matter if we are fighting for five hours, six hours. It doesn’t matter.
“You have to give everything on court. Frances gave everything on court. This is amazing.”
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Alcaraz has now won three consecutive five-setters lasting a combined 13 hours and 28 minutes.
For Alcaraz and Ruud, it is not just the US Open title that is at stake on Sunday.
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The winner will claim his first Slam crown as well as World No. 1.
If the Spaniard triumphs, he will become the youngest World No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings (since 1973).
Another final for Ruud
Ruud will be appearing in his second Grand Slam final of the season after finishing runner-up to Nadal at the French Open in June.
Casper Ruud completes the road to the #USOpen final.
See you Sunday, @CasperRuud98. pic.twitter.com/GWd8LbHMuk
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2022
“After Roland Garros, I was extremely happy but at the same time humble enough to think that could be my only final in a Grand Slam in my career,” said Ruud.
“They don’t come easy. So here I am a couple of months later – it feels beyond words to describe.”
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The 23-year-old Norwegian set the tone for his dominance early in the semi-final when he came out on top in a 55-shot rally to convert a third set point in the opening tiebreak which his Russian rival described as “crazy”.
