Carlos Alcaraz experienced a shaky beginning at the ATP Finals in Turin, suffering a surprising first-time defeat against world No. 7 Casper Ruud. The two-time Wimbledon champion, who secured his first of four grand slam titles by defeating Ruud in the 2022 US Open final, entered the match with a 4-0 head-to-head lead. However, the inspired Norwegian Ruud achieved a significant victory in the opening match of the John Newcombe Group, winning 6-1, 7-5 in an hour and 25 minutes.
"It's just one match, but it's undoubtedly one of the best wins of the season for me considering who I'm playing, his level, and his ranking," Ruud said during an on-court interview. "I feel very happy, of course. I believe we will see Carlos play better tennis than he did today, but I took advantage of my opportunities and it was a great win for me. Hopefully, I can build on it."
Alcaraz failed to hold serve twice in the first six games and missed five break points, surrendering the first set in just 36 minutes. The 21-year-old Spaniard initially seemed to regain control with a strong start to the second set. However, he squandered a 5-2 lead, losing five consecutive games for the second set in a row before quickly leaving the court after his unexpected loss.
"I knew he was possibly dealing with a cold," the 25-year-old Ruud said about the world No. 3. "I've noticed him sniffling around here and always with a tissue for his nose.
Of course, that's unfortunate, not good for him, but it's also part of the game and I was aware of it. I tried to make him play rallies and do my best, but it's not easy because, when you know someone is not at 100%, you might get stressed yourself, thinking this is a big chance for me to win.
I just tried to stay focused, in the moment. Fortunately, I got off to a good start and in the second set, I managed to turn it around with some good tennis at the end."
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