Norwegian Casper Ruud harnessed his mighty forehand to reach his second Grand Slam final this year by beating Russian Karen Khachanov 7-6(5) 6-2 5-7 6-2 at the U.S. Open, keeping alive his hopes of reaching the top of the world rankings.
Norway's Casper Ruud is into the U.S Open final. Photo: Jeff Chevrier/Icon Sportswire
The first Norwegian man to reach the final at Flushing Meadows won an extraordinary 55-shot rally to close the first-set tiebreak on his way to victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The fifth seed next faces third seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the final.
"This match is probably the biggest match for both of our careers," said Ruud, who was left humbled when he lost in straight sets to Rafa Nadal in June's Roland Garros final.
"You want to take care of the opportunities you have and I was able to do that today."
The 23-year-old Ruud is known for his poise on clay but was equally effective on New York's hard courts, winning 14 straight points to build a 5-1 lead in a near-flawless second set.
His form deteriorated in the third, where he racked up 11 unforced errors and handed Khachanov the break on set point.
However, Ruud bounced back to convert breaks on chances in the third and fifth game of the fourth set and clinched the contest with a forehand winner, one of 20 across the match.
Ruud would make the leap from world number seven to number one if he hoists the trophy on Monday.
Teenager Alcaraz ended Frances Tiafoe's dream run at the Open with a 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 6-7(5) 6-3 win to reach his first major final.
Despite playing into the early morning hours in his previous two five-set matches, the 19-year-old showed no signs of fatigue.
He fell on his back and covered his face with his hands after winning the hard-fought battle.
If he can beat Ruud, Alcaraz would become the youngest man to be world number one, breaking the mark set by Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 when he became the world's top ranked player in 2001.
The win ends Big Foe's run at the tournament, where his unlikely success and uniquely American life story captivated fans and brought out luminaries including former first lady Michelle Obama to Arthur Ashe Stadium
-Reuters