TURIN, Italy — Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock 6-1 7-5 defeat against Norway’s Casper Ruud in his opening match at the ATP Finals as the Spaniard’s hopes of winning the year-end title for the first time suffered a big blow.
The Norwegian came from a break down in the second set to seal what could be a pivotal win in just under one and a half hours, firing down an ace on his fourth match point.
The round-robin format of the eight-man event means he could still crown a standout year in style, but the third seed has left himself with little margin for error in his remaining group matches and will need to find a higher level.
World number seven Ruud, who had lost all four of his previous meetings against Alcaraz, saved break points in the opening game but dominated the first set from then on as surprising errors flowed from the Spaniard’s racket.
Alcaraz responded positively to move 5-2 ahead in the second set, breaking serve with a deft volley, and was two points from levelling the match only to capitulate.
He dropped serve at 5-3 and looked forlorn as Norwegian Ruud roared to victory, winning the last five games.
Alcaraz, who won the French Open and Wimbledon titles this year, is hoping to become the first Spaniard to win the prestigious year-ending title since Alex Corretja in 1998.
“This is one of the best wins of the season for me,” Ruud said in a courtside interview.
“I feel happy of course. I’ve seen Carlos play better tennis than he played today but I still had to take my chances,” Ruud added according to Reuters.
The Ilie Nastase group began with world number one Jannik Sinner beating debutant Alex De Minaur and American Taylor Fritz overcoming Russian Daniil Medvedev.
While Alcaraz did claim the Beijing title in September his form since winning Wimbledon has been patchy including a second round exit at the US Open.
The 21-year-old made 34 unforced errors against Ruud with his usually destructive forehand misfiring and most of the drop shots he attempted either finding the net or being dispatched easily by the grateful Norwegian.
Ruud, who reached the final in 2022 when he lost to Novak Djokovic, said Alcaraz had been suffering with a cold in Turin.
“I knew he was maybe dealing with a cold, I’ve seen him snuffling around in the player area with tissues so that’s a sign maybe he’s not 100% physically,” he said.
“That’s sad for him but it’s also part of the game and I knew it coming and wanted to make him play rallies. I was able to turn around the second set with some good tennis at the end.”
Two years ago, the Norwegian made the championship match at the Inalpi Arena. He has picked up where he left off in Turin and it is no coincidence, according to his father and coach, Christian Ruud.
“He was, of course, very proud the first year he qualified here and it’s special to be among the eight best,” Christian told ATPTour.com.
“I think he gets a little bit extra motivation and finds a little extra energy, it looks like. So especially this year, it’s been a tough last couple months.
“We put a lot of work into trying to play well here, and had a good start. He feels comfortable on the court, and he feels comfortable here in Italy with good pasta and good food. He just enjoys it here, I think.”
Casper has been enjoying Spaghetti vongole, which features a mix of clams and seafood with pasta. It has worked well so far for a player who had not earned a Top 10 victory since defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Barcelona final in April.
Alcaraz entered their encounter with a 4-0 Lexus ATP lead against Ruud. But it was the sixth seed who turned the tables for a 6-1, 7-5 triumph.
It was a confidence-boosting victory, especially because the Norwegian arrived in Italy on a four-match losing streak.
“I think it’ll change the mindset and the confidence, of course, but we’re humble,” Ruud said.
“We know all the players are good. If you’re ranked 20 or 40 or 70, they’re all tough players. You have to play well. Casper was struggling with some sickness and stuff like that, the second half [of the season], so I think played a little bit of a role.
“But the past couple of weeks he has been feeling good, just trying to find the game and play well and get some wins.”
Ruud has historically enjoyed his biggest breakthroughs on clay. He is a two-time Roland Garros finalist and has done well to use his big forehand and heavy game on the surface.
