US Open 2022: Casper Ruud Into Final And Brink Of World Top Ranking

Casper Ruud reached the US Open final and closed in on the world number one ranking with a four-set victory over Karen Khachanov on Friday. Ruud defeated the Russian 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in his semi-final and will face either Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz or Frances Tiafoe of the United States in Sunday's championship match. It will be world number seven Ruud's second Grand Slam final of the season after finishing runner-up to Rafael Nadal at the French Open in June.

Should Alcaraz lose his semi-final later Friday, the 23-year-old from Norway will become the new world number one next week.

"This match today was another great match from my side. I think we were both a bit nervous in the beginning, some breaks back and forth," said Ruud who had never got past the third round in New York before this year.

"You have to take into account that this match was probably the biggest match for both of our careers and of course there will always be some nerves."

Ruud and Khachanov, who knocked out Nick Kyrgios in a five-set quarter-final, exchanged a double break each in a scrappy opening set.

However, it ended with a lung-busting flourish when Ruud came out on top in a 55-shot rally to convert a third set point in the tiebreak.

The Norwegian raced to a double break in the third and fifth games of the second set, wrapping it up in just 33 minutes when Khachanov fired a forehand long.

Olympic silver medallist Khachanov hit back, moving to two set points in the 12th game of the third set, cutting the match deficit when Ruud buried a lazy forehand in the net.

It was a brief setback, however, for Ruud who broke in the fourth set to lead 2-1, thanks to a pinpoint forehand pass, and backed it up with another break for 4-1.

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