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US Open 2022 final Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud: Head-to-head tie, key stats, records in line - All you need to know
Ahead of the blockbuster final between Alcaraz and Ruud at the Flushing Meadows, we take a look at the head-to-head tie, key stats and records in line for the match...
The US Open 2022 has been a narrative like no other Grand Slam, at least not in the Big Three era. The Big Apple does have a reputation of throwing in surprises during every US Open tournament, but 2022 has been a stand out. Amid the storyline having Rafael Nadal as the central character, and his bid to yet another unprecedented feat, the 22-time Slam winner's unbeaten run was halted in the last 16 leaving the men's draw open. Nick Kyrgios' sensational summer run made him the next favourite, and more so after he took down the defending champion Daniil Medvedev. But the Aussie succumbed too under pressure of immense expectation. In the other half of the draw, Carlos Alcaraz, the rising teen sensation, produced not one but three inspiring matches, all of which stretched to five sets, to reach his maiden Grand Slam final. And he will be up against the most unlikely finalist that any expert would have predicted a fortnight back. Casper Ruud, who is into his second Slam final in 2022, has once again flown under the radar to give himself yet another shot at a major, after having lost to Nadal in French Open final. (Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud US Open 2022 Final Live Score)
The two young guns will have two of the biggest prize on stake at the Flushing Meadows in the final - a maiden major and a shot and becoming the new world no.1 in ATP rankings. Ahead of the blockbuster final between Alcaraz and Ruud at the Flushing Meadows, we take a look at the head-to-head record, key stats and records in line for the match...
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD:
The two have faced each other only twice before - 2022 Miami Open Final and Andalucia Open quarterfinal in 2021 - and Alcaraz had won both the matches in straight sets. In Miami earlier this year, Ruud had managed to break the Spaniard early to go 4-1 up in the opening set before Alcaraz bounced back to script a 7-5, 6-4 win.
WORLD NO.1 RANKING SCENARIO:
- Alcaraz is all set to become the youngest world no.1 in men's tennis if he wins the US Open while Ruud will become the only ever No.1 ranked player from Norway if he scripts a better finish in New York than the 19-year-old.
- If Alcaraz becomes the world no.1, it will be the fourth occasion when a No.4 ranked player jumped to the top of the table, the longest ever jump in rankings chart, after Carlos Moya and Andre Agassi in 1999 and Pete Sampras in 2000. However, if No.7 Ruud takes the top spot, it will be the biggest ever jump in ATP rankings history.
- This will be the first ever Grand Slam final in men's singles history where two players will have a chance at becoming the world no.1 for the first time ever.
KEY STATS:
- 19-year-old Alcaraz is the youngest Grand Slam finalist since Nadal in 2005 French Open and US Open finalist since Pete Sampras in 1990. Both had won the title back then.
- Alcaraz is the first player since Agassi in 2005 US Open in men's tennis to have reached the final having won three straight five-setter ties. Overall, he is the seventh such player.
- Ruud is the first ever Norwegian player to have reached the US Open final.
- It will be the 16th instance in men's tennis that a player will earn his maiden major at the US Open. The winner will be a 57th Grand Slam men's champion in Open Era, 30th at US Open and 10th at the Flushing Meadows in the last 15 editions.
RECORDS CHASING:
- Alcaraz is aiming to become the youngest ever Grand Slam champion since Nadal at 2005 French Open and US Open winner since Sampras in 1990.
- Ruud will aim to become the first tennis player from Norway to win a Grand Slam trophy.
