US Open 2022: Young Carlos Alcaraz claims first Grand Slam title with four-set defeat of Casper Ruud

Carlos Alcaraz has made history. The 19-year-old phenom has won the US Open, defeating Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3, and will become the youngest player ever to rise to No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

Alcaraz looked a little less sharp than he had in the last few matches, but that’s likely because he played three consecutive five-setters to get to the final match. Despite that, whenever he plays, it’s like he’s used video game cheat codes on himself, and Sunday was no exception. But Ruud matched him shot for shot, and found ways to beat him soundly. That made for extremely entertaining tennis, perhaps some of the best of the entire tournament, and that’s saying a lot considering the phenomenal matches we’ve seen over the last two weeks.

The first set was tight, but Alcaraz had everything working. He had the right touch and the right plan to put Ruud in a hole early in the match.

Alcaraz claimed the first set, but Ruud turned everything around in the second set. He began adjusting and finding ways to beat Alcaraz. He managed to freeze Alcaraz at two games as he began to string games together on his way to a second-set victory.

At times in the second set, Alcaraz looked like he might be running on fumes. He’d expended far more energy over the past week than Ruud, and it seemed that he might be running on fumes. But not so. Alcaraz was able to wipe the slate clean in the third set. Every time it looked like he might be out, he regrouped and attacked. Ruud went ahead 4-3, and then Alcaraz tied it. Ruud went ahead 5-4, and Alcaraz tied it again. He then staved off two set points from Ruud to tie it at 6-6, and then he annihilated him in the tiebreak.

Just one set away from victory, Alcaraz somehow turned on the jets, getting energy from who knows where. He played every single second of every shot and every point. He remained positive and clear, and his ability to shake off the misses and errors was incredible. No matter what happened, he continued to execute his game plan. Even when he got blanked by Ruud to narrow the gap to 5-3, he kept moving forward. One game later, he claimed the title with an incredible serve.