Emulating past successes is never easy, but Casper Ruud made it appear so on Friday at Roland Garros.

The Norwegian charged to his third championship match in the space of five Grand Slam events with a seemingly nerveless 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 semi-final victory against Alexander Zverev at the clay-court major. Ruud, who was a finalist in Paris a year ago and at the 2022 US Open, delivered a performance full of his trademark clean baseline hitting to overwhelm Zverev and wrap a two-hour, nine-minute triumph on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“Honestly I just went out there and tried to play without too many feelings, without thinking too much,” said Ruud in his on-court interview. “If it’s towards the end of the tournament, everyone here playing today has done well anyway. So I tried to play without pressure, without thinking too much, and not to play with too much emotion, if that makes sense.

“Today just went really well. From the beginning to the last point everything was going my way, luckily, and I’m just very happy to win this match.”

Ruud converted six of 10 break points he earned to book his spot in Sunday’s championship match, where he will play for his maiden major title. His opponent there will be two-time champion Novak Djokovic, who earlier defeated Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.

Ruud arrived at Roland Garros with a modest 16-11 record for the year, but had shown recent signs of being back to his best after a difficult start to 2023. The 24-year-old lifted his 10th ATP Tour title in Estoril in April and reached an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final in Rome in May, and he has continued his resurgence in Paris by dropping just two sets en route to his third major final.

“I didn’t come into Roland Garros thinking I was a favourite to reach the final,” said Ruud. “Not at all. I was trying to think one match at a time, and let’s see how it goes from there.

“Obviously I [thought then that I] would love to be back in the final like last year, and I [was] always thinking about trying to defend this final spot from last year, but here we are, two weeks later. It’s been two very fun weeks here in Paris, just as fun as last year, and hopefully the third time can be the charm for me.”

The dominant feature of his performance against Zverev was his sheer relentlessness in making his opponent play. Ruud made just 19 unforced errors across the three sets, compared to 37 for Zverev, and his rocket forehand was the key weapon behind his final tally of 25 winners.

Zverev dropped his opening service game of the match but immediately responded with a break of his own in the third game for 1-2. That was as good as it got for the German, who did not break his opponent’s serve again. Ruud notched another break in the next game and was hugely effective at blunting the 22nd seed’s booming delivery with some razor-sharp returning throughout.

A solitary break in the seventh game was enough for Ruud to seal the second set and he raced to victory from there as a tiring Zverev struggled to stick with his opponent. The fourth seed cruised to the third set without facing a break point to complete his triumph and level his ATP Head2Head series with the German at 2-2.

Kei Nishikori is set to return to action for the first time in 20 months at next week’s ATP Challenger Tour 75 event in Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico.

The former World No. 4, who underwent arthroscopic left hip surgery last year, announced on Twitter that he is en route to the Caribbean Open, his first tournament since October 2021.

Excited! On the way to Puerto Rico! @ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/cvv0oU0cBp

— Kei Nishikori (@keinishikori) June 9, 2023

Nishikori, 33, is a 12-time tour-level titlist. In 2014, the Japanese star was a finalist at the US Open and two years later, Nishikori earned the bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic games. He owns a 431-211 career match record.

Nishikori will learn his place in the Palmas del Mar Challenger draw Saturday and first-round action will begin Monday 12 June. The hard-court event will be free to stream live and on demand at Challenger TV.

For two sets, Carlos Alcaraz put on a show during his semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros, matching the Serbian stride for stride as the ATP stars went to battle at the clay-court major.

However, after winning the second set to level the match, Alcaraz started to suffer cramp in his right calf and was forced to forfeit his service game at 1-1 in the third set to receive immediate treatment at the changeover from the physio. Two-time champion Djokovic went on to win 12 of the last 14 games.

Following the match, the Spaniard was asked whether his cramping experience was the hardest he has ever faced on court.

“Probably,” the 20-year-old replied. “It has been really tough for me today. I have never felt something like I did today. I have never felt that tension that I did in that match.

“I would say the first set and the second set was really, really intense and I started to cramp in my arm. At the beginning of the third set I started to cramp every part of my body, not only the legs. The arms, as well, every part of the legs,” Alcaraz later continued. “It was really tough for me to move at the third set, and in the fourth set let’s say I had a little chance, but it was really tough. My full body started to cramp.”

Alcaraz was chasing his second major title at the clay-court event and knew victory against Djokovic on Friday would have ensured he remained No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings following the tournament. The Serbian can now return to top spot if he wins a record 23rd major on Sunday.

The top seed, who was the youngest man to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros since a then-20-year-old Djokovic in 2007, believes the pressure of the occasion played a part in his physical demise.

“It was the tension of the match. I started the match really nervous. The tension of the first set, the second set, it was really intense two sets, as well,” Alcaraz said. “There [were] really good rallies, tough rallies. Drop shots, sprints, rallies. It’s a combination of a lot of things. But the main thing, it was the tension that I had all the two first sets.”

Aged 20, Alcaraz has risen to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, captured four ATP Masters 1000 titles and a major crown at the US Open. The Spaniard, who is 35-4 in 2023, is aware there will be lower points during his career, though, and hopes to learn from his semi-final disappointment.

“You have to learn from these kinds of matches, these kinds of experiences,” Alcaraz said. “I would say I take lessons from that match. I will try [for it] to not happen again in these matches. I have to take lessons from that experience and it’s something that I have to deal with.”

Alcaraz will next compete at The Queen’s Club, where he will make his debut.

Andy Murray rallied from a set down Friday amidst difficult conditions to book his ticket into the semi-finals at the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Surbiton.

The Scot survived Australian Jason Kubler 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after two hours, six minutes at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy. Murray sent the World No. 69 on the run behind the baseline and mixed in variety, displaying his fair share of slice and drop shots, to reach the last four.

“Really hard conditions today, a lot of wind gusts, but I did well to finish it off,” Murray said in his post-match interview. “I played some good tennis when I needed to. It was a match where you just need to try and find a way to get through, not so much about the quality of the tennis.”

Kubler, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, received treatment on his back at 0-3 in the decider. Despite breaking Murray’s serve the following game, the three-time major champion held on to set a semi-final clash against the defending champion, Jordan Thompson, who ousted Rinky Hijikata 7-6(1), 6-2.

Murray is aiming for a second Challenger title this year. Last month, the former World No. 1 captured the Challenger 175 crown in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he defeated Tommy Paul in the final. The 36-year-old’s triumph was his first title at any level since 2019.

This year, the ATP Challenger Tour announced the all-new 175 events which are held during the second week of select ATP Master 1000 tournaments, and have drawn appearances from several Top 40 stars.

“A lot of the Challengers now, there are more points up to offer at a lot of them so the draws tend to be stronger,” Murray said. “Now you also have the 175s, where the draws are more like 250 events. I feel like the level has improved, more players pick up points in these events. You see here, there’s [11] Top 100 players here [in Surbiton] and a few pulled out as well, so I feel like the level has improved.”

Thompson, who is an 11-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, defeated Murray at the ATP 500 event at Queen’s Club in 2017. The 29-year-old will aim to upset the home favourite again during Saturday’s action.

In the top half of the draw, Jurij Rodionov will contest Zizou Bergs for a spot in the final. The Austrian Rodionov cruised past Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 6-4 in the quarters while Bergs ousted sixth seed Constant Lestienne 7-6(2), 6-3. 

The Marathon Man 🏃‍♂️@andy_murray comes back from one set down to defeat Jason Kubler and reach the Surbiton semifinals #ATPChallenger | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/bUEqfszA29

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) June 9, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz took an unusual decision Friday at Roland Garros, where the World No. 1 suffered a severe bout of cramp early in the third set of his blockbuster semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic.

The Spaniard was struck by the cramp in his right calf as Djokovic converted game point to level for 1-1 in the third set of the pair’s meeting at the clay-court major. With another game left to play before the change of ends, Alcaraz was forced to make a tough call.

_{^{Novak Djokovic checks on his opponent Carlos Alcaraz as the Spaniard suffers from cramp during the pair’s Roland Garros semi-final on Friday. Photo: Getty Images}}

Rather than continue and risk causing further damage to his leg, the 20-year-old opted to forfeit his service game in order to receive immediate treatment from the physio on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

What The Grand Slam Rulebook Says About Muscle Cramping:

A player may receive treatment for muscle cramping only during the time allotted for change of ends and/or set breaks. Players may not receive a Medical Time-Out for muscle cramping.

Djokovic therefore held a 2-1 lead when the players returned to court, and the Serbian went on to clinch the set 6-1 as Alcaraz played on with his movement heavily restricted.

Novak Djokovic moved to within one win of capturing a record 23rd major crown on Friday at Roland Garros, where he moved past an ailing Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.

The 36-year-old Serbian came out firing in the generational battle on Court Philippe-Chatrier, pulling the 20-year-old Spaniard around with destructive and consistent groundstrokes to win the first set. Alcaraz and Djokovic went blow to blow, with both demonstrating exceptional agility and movement in a high-quality and engrossing opening first two sets.

After Alcaraz levelled the match, he started to cramp in the right calf at the start of the third set, and forfeited his service game at 1-1 so he could fast-forward to a changeover and be treated by an ATP physio. The Spaniard, who missed the Australian Open this year due to a leg injury, was unable to chase down shots and drive through the ball, with Djokovic moving back ahead. The third seed then soared through the fourth set against Alcaraz to advance after three hours and 23 minutes.

“First and foremost I have to say tough luck for Carlos,” said Djokovic in his on-court interview. “Obviously at this level the last thing you want is cramp and physical problems at the late stages of a Grand Slam. So I feel for him, I feel sorry. I hope he can recover and he can come back very soon.

“I told him at the net. He knows how young he is. He’s got plenty of time ahead of him, so he’s going to win this tournament I’m sure many many times. He’s an unbelievable player, an incredible competitor and a very nice guy, so he deserves all the applause and all the support.”

_{^{Photo Credit: Getty Images}}

Meeting for the first time this season, Alcaraz and Djokovic have waged a neck-and-neck battle in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 2023, trading the top spot four times. Following his 26th win of the season, Djokovic will surpass Alcaraz and return to World No. 1 if he defeats Casper Ruud or Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final.

The two-time Roland Garros champion Djokovic, who is into his 34th major championship match and seventh in his past eight majors, is the second-oldest finalist in tournament history (since 1925).

Sixteen years his junior, Alcaraz was the youngest man to advance to the semi-finals at Roland Garros since a then-20-year-old Djokovic did in 2007. The top seed captured his maiden major title at the US Open last year, but will not add to his tally in Paris after he struggled physically to stay with Djokovic during Friday’s semi-final.

“It’s tough. Obviously for him to not know whether he should retire [from] the match or finish the match the way he did,” Djokovic said. “Congratulations to him for his fighting spirit and hanging in all the way until the last point. Respect for that, great respect.

“I think we were both at the physical limit towards the end of the second set. I wasn’t feeling fresh at all. We went toe to toe. I think it was a quite even match, one-set-all, and then this thing happened with his cramp in the third game of the third set and from that moment onwards it was a different match. Obviously I just tried to stay focused, to stay present, and I saw that he was struggling, but I obviously didn’t want to think too much about what was going on the opposite side of the net. Again, respect for hm and I hope he comes back very quickly.”

_{^{Photo Credit: Getty Images}}

Set One, Djokovic 6-3

Djokovic was locked in from ball one in Friday’s encounter. He struck his groundstrokes through the court with depth, while he moved forward consistently, closing the net 13 times in the set to pressure Alcaraz. After breaking in the fourth game, the Serbian fended off three break points in a mammoth game at 4-2 as Alcaraz began to find rhythm from the baseline. The top seed then held serve to lead.

Set Two, Alcaraz 7-5

At 1-1 in the second set, Alcaraz demonstrated his all-court game to full effect. He showcased great speed and touch to chase down a Djokovic drop shot, before retrieving to the baseline to hit fire a squash like behind the body forehand winner, drawing applause from the Serbian.

Alcaraz started to dig in during the baseline exchanges, playing with high intensity as his power began to force Djokovic, who received a medical timeout in the set, to overhit. The 20-year-old made 68 per cent of first serves in the set and recovered from squandering three set points on Djokovic’s serve at 4-5, 0/40, breaking Djokovic’s serve at 6-5 to level.

Set Three, Djokovic 6-1

Alcaraz then began to cramp in the third set. Rather than continue and risk causing further damage to his leg, the 20-year-old opted to forfeit his service game at 1-1 in order to receive immediate treatment from the physio on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The 20-year-old continued but was unable to chase down shots, with the Serbian outlasting the Spaniard in the baseline exchanges to move back ahead.

Set Four, Djokovic 6-1

The Spaniard went for a toilet break at the end of the third set to try and find a second wind. He had two break points on Djokovic’s serve at the start of the set but was unable to take them and from there, the Serbian ruthlessly raced clear. He limited errors off the ground and forced the tiring Alcaraz, who was far from his physical best, around the court with his variety of spins to improve to 1-1 i their ATP Head2Head series.

Did You Know?
Djokovic now holds a 80-4 record when claiming the first set at Roland Garros, winning 35 in a row. His last loss after clinching the opener came in the 2015 final against Stan Wawrinka.