Casper Ruud makes French open final after straight sets win over Alexander Zverev
Casper Ruud drafts French Open final against Novak Djokovic after victory over 22nd seed Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros in straight sets
- Casper Ruud defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 in his French Open semifinal
- The number four in the world will play Roland Garros for the second time in a row on Sunday
- He will compete against 22-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic
An impeccable Casper Ruud returned to the French Open final for the second year in a row by dismantling Germany’s 22nd seed Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4 6-0 in a battle between big hitters on Friday for a showdown with 22-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Last year’s runner-up Ruud traded early breaks with Zverev before turning up the pressure on a hot evening at Court Philippe Chatrier by pounding the German with some vicious, spin-heavy forehands to win 5-2 on way to claiming the opening set.
Zverev, who played in a third consecutive Roland Garros semifinal last year at the site of his season-ending ankle injury, squandered an early opening in the next set and ran into trouble when fourth seed Ruud took another break in the seventh game.
Extending his lead in the match, Ruud continued to control rallies from behind the baseline to frustrate an error-prone Zverev in the next set, before storming into a third Grand Slam final in his last five events, going back to Roland Garros 2022 .
Casper Ruud reached his second French Open final in a row by defeating Alexander Zverev
The world number four won in straight sets as he looks one better than his second-place finish in 2022
On Sunday he will compete in the final against 22-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic