Ruud spoiled Canadian Open victory – reacted to ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’

Posted On: September 12, 2023

(Casper Ruud – Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-7, 6-4, 6-7) Casper Ruud (24) reacted to unsportsmanlike behavior, struggled with his lower back and had to wait for the weather to stabilize before participating in the Canadian Championship. Open.

Published: 08/10/2023 9:57 p.m.

Updated: 08/11/2023 00:16

Casper Ruud was able to claim victory in the third set, but fell short when it mattered most. In the deciding tie-break he lost 4-7.

– It’s disappointing to lose at the finish, but that’s how it is. It’s part of the game. You just have to grit your teeth and move on, Ruud tells NTB.

He therefore could not take revenge after having lost against the same man at Roland Garros in 2021.

The Canadian Open is broadcast on Discovery+ and Eurosport.

It was a very balanced first set between the two. There was a bit of drama when the Spaniard chose to take a forearm serve. Ruud did not reach the short serve and approached the referee to ask if it was fair play. Ruud thought that he was looking down at his grip and that Davidovitch Fokina was thus taking advantage of his inattention.

“Is this fair play?” Can you hear Ruud asking the referee.

See the situation and the complaint at the top of the file.

FAIL: Casper Ruud lost nerve drama to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Photo: Frank Gunn / Pa Photos / NTB

Neither managed to break in the first set and so it came down to a tie-break. Ruud failed there and lost 4-7 to the Spaniard, ranked 37th in the world.

He therefore depended on his victory in the second set to hope to progress. And it started off very promisingly as it moved to 2-1. Shortly after, the Norwegian had to take a medical time out. It appeared that the problem was in the lower back.

– It’s just a “tight” back, nothing worse than that. Nothing scary or anything that scares me, but it was good to put some order into things, Ruud said.

Ruud became popular for this maneuver when he advanced from the 2nd round.

At 3-2 in the second set, the match was stopped for just under two hours due to rain.

After the break, they both broke once. Ruud thus served in the second set and ensured that it was a decisive third set.

It started very well for Ruud, who occupies 5th place in the world rankings. He broke immediately and held to serve for the win, but was then broken.

Fokina won the deciding tie-break. The Spaniard meets Mackenzie McDonald in the quarter-finals.