Carlos Alcaraz has been cruising through the draw at the 2023 China Open, though a matchup against Casper Ruud promises to be the toughest challenge yet.
Alcaraz and Ruud played in the past, and Alcaraz passed that test comfortably. Their most famous match was the 2022 US Open final, which was a battle for the number one spot on the ATP Tour on top of the trophy.
Alcaraz triumphed, becoming world number one and the US Open champion, and their careers went very differently since then. The Spaniard continued to be great, winning a second Grand Slam trophy this year though he lost number one.
Getting it back is a goal, and winning this match would help with that. Ruud's season has been largely disappointing, but he is winning matches, although not as easily as Alcaraz. The Norwegian barely pulled through against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, which doesn't bode well for this matchup.
Mostly because Alcaraz plays similarly to how the Argentinian approached that match - very aggressively; the higher bounce gives Alcaraz plenty of time to set up properly, so you should expect plenty of winners here.
Head-to-head:
Alcaraz and Ruud have played a few times already. The most famous match between them was played in New York, but it was not the only one. They actually played five times, but if we exclude the exhibitions, Alcaraz leads 3-0. With the exhibitions, it's 3-2, but unfortunately for Ruud, this one is a serious match.
Prediction:
So, is there a chance for Ruud in this match? Well, there is always a chance but I wouldn't say it's a big one. Alcaraz is a better fit on these courts, and he should cruise unless he fails to control his shots as well as he can.
That has happened in the past and can happen again, but I think even with lack of control, he should still pull out the win.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in two sets.
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