Norway’s Casper Ruud defeated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 within the closing of the Swiss Open in Gstaad on Sunday. The triumph is the ninth title of the 23-year-old’s profession, all of which have come at ATP 250 stage, and eight of which have been on clay.
Second seed Berrettini, nonetheless reeling from the frustration of lacking out on Wimbledon resulting from COVID-19, was on a 12-match successful streak earlier than the ultimate. The Italian received titles in Stuttgart and Queens on grass, and reached the ultimate in Gstaad after dominant shows towards the likes of Richard Gasquet and the resurgent Dominic Thiem.
Ruud, the highest seed and defending champion in Gstaad, got here into the match on the again of one of the best season of his profession, having reached the ultimate on the Miami Masters and Roland Garros. His draw was comparatively extra beneficial, and he didn’t lose a single set until the ultimate.
Berrettini consolidated an early break to win the primary set, earlier than a nervy second set the place Ruud needed to dig deep — and save three break factors — to drive the match right into a tiebreaker. The Norwegian took whole management of proceedings after a powerful show within the tiebreaker, breaking twice to win the deciding set.
The 23-year-old asserted that successful his serve was vital for the situations, in addition to whereas developing towards an enormous server like Berrettini.
“I changed [things] up a little bit in the third set especially, which helped,” Ruud mentioned in his on-court interview. “The video games and the factors go by right here quick. If you aren’t prepared and focussed, you may get damaged or you may break, as a result of the situations help you.
Comeback Casper 💪
The second @CasperRuud98 defeated Berrettini from a set all the way down to seize the 2022 Gstaad title! pic.twitter.com/bYYnd7mLJ0
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 24, 2022
“So it was key for me to hold my serve, I did that in the second set. Saving those break points was very important for me and everything went in my favour in the tie-break.”
Berrettini’s lack of rating factors at Wimbledon has meant that he’ll keep nicely outdoors the highest 10 of the rating. Ruud, alternatively, will lose his place on the earth’s high 5 to Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz.
