Casper Ruud stuns struggling Carlos Alcaraz with straight-sets win in ATP Finals opener

Norwegian seals first ever victory over Spaniard in flying start to season-ending event in Turin

Casper Ruud celebrates after beating Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP finals in Turin on November 11, 2024. Getty Images

Casper Ruud started his ATP Finals campaign in impressive fashion with a straight-sets victory over an under-the-weather Carlos Alcaraz in Turin on Monday.

In what was the opening game in the John Newcombe Group – which also includes two-time champion Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev, who face-off in the evening session at the Inalpi Arena – Ruud secured a 6-1, 7-5 win at the season-ending tournament.

The Norwegian sixth seed showed few signs of the poor form that had seen him register just two wins since the US Open and defeated an out-of-touch Alcaraz in 86 minutes.

Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz made 34 unforced errors as he fell to a first ever defeat in what was his fifth match against Ruud, who is now well-placed to reach the last four for the third time in as many ATP Finals appearances.

“It’s only one match, but it’s definitely one of the best wins of the season for me,” said 2022 runner-up Ruud, who had suffered seven defeats in eight matches before this tournament.

“In terms of who I’m playing, his level, his ranking and all this stuff. I feel very happy of course. We will see Carlos play better tennis than he did today, but I took care of my chances.

“I have not been [full of] confidence in the past weeks or months, so it was a great win for me and hopefully I can build on it, and I would like to get some more wins while I am in Turin.”

Third seed Alcaraz, who lost to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in last year's semi-finals, will need to up his game against Zverev on Wednesday if he is to avoid elimination this time round.

The four-time Grand Slam champion quickly slipped to 4-1 down in the opening set, giving up his serve in the fourth game before seeing three break points come and go in the next.

Ruud stretched a double-break in front as Alcaraz fired a loose forehand wide and the Norwegian wrapped up the opening set in just 36 minutes with a hold to love.

The Spaniard improved early in the second set, though, bringing up his sixth break point of the match with a trademark forehand winner.

He took the opportunity with a delicate volley and then moved into a 5-2 lead with a clinical hold. But Ruud dug deep to force Alcaraz to serve for the set before breaking back en route to levelling it.

The errors suddenly started to flow again from Alcaraz's racquet and a wild forehand followed by an excellent Ruud return gave the sixth seed the chance to serve for the match.

Ruud closed it out in style on his third match point with an ace, completing a run of five straight games. “It can be a bit tricky,” added Ruud, when asked about playing when an opponent is clearly not at full fitness.

“I knew he was dealing with a bit of a cold. I saw him sniffling in the back area and with a tissue for his nose, so that’s a sign that maybe physically he won’t be necessarily at 100 per cent. Of course, that is sad, and not good for him, but at the same time it is part of the game.

“I knew it coming in. I tried to make him play rallies and do my best, but it’s not easy because when you kind of know that someone is not 100 per cent, maybe you get stressed yourself. You think, ‘This is a really big chance for me to maybe try to win’.

“So I just tried to stay in my world, the moment, and luckily I got a good start. I got a break early and kept it, and in the second set I was able to turn it around with some good tennis at the end.”

The Ilie Nastase group kicked off proceedings on Sunday with world No 1 Jannik Sinner beating debutant Alex De Minaur and American Taylor Fritz overcoming Russian Daniil Medvedev.