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The teenage years can be tough. Just ask any 19-year-old.

But when you’re also carrying the expectation of being the new face of tennis, life can feel overwhelming.

Carlos Alcaraz arrived for the North American hard-court swing as World No. 4 and with a shot at becoming the 28th player to reach No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. But an opening round-loss in Montreal to Tommy Paul – when he candidly said the pressure got to him – and a quarter-final loss to Cameron Norrie in Cincinnati, led to worry and self-doubt.

Heading into the year’s final major, coach Juan Carlos Ferrero suspected that Alcaraz had “lost a little bit of happiness on the court,” and that he was worrying about the big picture instead of the next match in front of him. Arriving in New York for the US Open, Ferrero gave his charge license to loosen up, get to net and go on the attack.

“I lost the joy a little bit. I felt the pressure,” Alcaraz said. “I couldn't smile on court, which I'm doing in every match, every tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz’s unsung hero in his US Open final win over Casper Ruud was his run-around forehand.

Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 in the US Open final on Sunday, due in large part to him hitting a slew of run-around forehands standing in the Ad court to counter the Norwegian’s full-court press towards his backhand. Ruud played a tactically savvy final by flattening out his high, heavy groundstrokes and ripping them repeatedly at Alcaraz’s backhand wing. It almost worked. Ruud won a higher percentage of baseline points: 45 per cent (64/141) to Alcaraz’s 43 per cent (59/136).

Alcaraz’s tenacity to upgrade to forehands standing in the Ad court saw him turn 97 groundstrokes from backhands into forehands. In a match decided by only five points (127-122), this specific battle was as important as any other to Alcaraz in capturing his first Grand Slam title.

Alcaraz Groundstrokes (excluding returns, volleys & overheads)

On the surface, Alcaraz hit many more forehands than backhands. But once you examine where Alcaraz was standing when he hit them, you get a better idea of a hidden layer of his successful match strategy.

When the music stopped on Arthur Ashe Stadium Sunday night, there was only one chair for a new World No. 1: Carlos Alcaraz.

But being No. 2 isn’t bad.

Tempering the disappointment of coming up short in his second Grand Slam final of the year, Norway’s Casper Ruud said that he would also leave New York with plenty to be proud of, not least his new career-high mark in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

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“I think it's deserving that after great results, both of us having good results throughout the year, we are 1 and 2 in the rankings tomorrow,” the 23-year-old said. “I'm very proud of being No. 2. In a way it's a good thing because I can still chase the last spot.

Carlos Alcaraz made history on Sunday evening when he battled past Casper Ruud in four sets to win the US Open for his first Grand Slam title. The 19-year-old also became the youngest-ever World No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings (since 1973).

After the Spaniard clinched his triumph at Flushing Meadows, several stars congratulated him, including Rafael Nadal, Rod Laver, Billie Jean King and more.

Felicidades @carlosalcaraz por tu primer Grand Slam y por el número 1 que es el colofón a tu primera gran temporada que estoy seguro serán muchas más! ??
Great effort @CasperRuud98 !very proud of you! Tough luck today but amazing tournament and season! Keep going!

Congratulations Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud on an exceptional US Open men's final. Two great sportsmen with many more battles to come. #USOpen2022

What a great final from both!

Nineteen-year-old Carlos Alcaraz will on Monday become the youngest World No. 1 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings history (since 1973) after winning his first Grand Slam title at the US Open Sunday.

Alcaraz entered the 2021 US Open as the World No. 55. With his win against 23-year-old Casper Ruud in the championship clash in New York, he is the first teenage World No. 1 and the fourth man from Spain to achieve the feat, joining his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, and Rafael Nadal.

The Murcia-native arrived at Flushing Meadows as the No. 4 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. His leap to World No. 1 is tied for the biggest in history. Three other players have surged from No. 4 to No. 1 between one Pepperstone ATP Rankings release: Moya (15 March 1999), Andre Agassi (5 July 1999) and Pete Sampras (11 September 2000).

Alcaraz has rewritten the record books en route to the pinnacle of men’s tennis. Earlier this year he became the second-youngest player to win two ATP Masters 1000 titles (Miami and Madrid), only behind Nadal, who did so in 2005. Alcaraz also became the youngest ATP 500 titlist in series history in Rio de Janeiro and claimed another crown at that level in Barcelona.

The 19-year-old leads the ATP Tour with 51 wins this season, moving him five victories clear of second-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas (46). With his US Open triumph, Alcaraz also climbed to first place in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, putting him in pole position to become the youngest year-end World No. 1 in history.

Carlos Alcaraz has won the first set 6-4 against Casper Ruud in the US Open final on Sunday. In a historic winner-takes-all showdown, the victor will capture their first Grand Slam trophy and become the 28th player to secure the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

With the world watching, the third-seeded Spaniard quickly found his range on Arthur Ashe stadium, hitting with explosive power and demonstrating impressive agility to move ahead after 50 minutes in New York.

The 19-year-old is seeking to become the youngest Grand Slam champion since countryman Rafael Nadal, 19, lifted the trophy at Roland Garros in 2005 and the youngest US Open titlist since Pete Sampras, 19, in 1990.

If the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion can defeat the Norwegian and capture his 51st win of the season, he will also become the youngest player and fourth Spaniard to rise to No. 1 in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings (since 1973). Spaniards Juan Carlos Ferrero – Alcaraz’s current coach - Carlos Moya and Nadal have all previously risen to top spot.

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On Friday evening, Martin Landaluce was preparing for the biggest match of his life, the US Open Boys’ Singles final. But another match on television kept the Spaniard from going to sleep: Carlos Alcaraz’s enthralling five-set quarter-final against Frances Tiafoe.

“I tried to sleep, but he was [on] the TV, so I couldn't sleep in that moment. I just slept in the fifth,” Landaluce said of Alcaraz with a smile on his face. "But I was watching it. It was a great match. Yeah, both were playing good. I took some things from Alcaraz and from Tiafoe also.”

Like his countryman Alcaraz did Friday, Landaluce earned a big win on Saturday. The 16-year-old, seeded fifth, defeated second seed Gilles Arnaud Bailly of Belgium 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-2 for the Boys’ Singles title.

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“It was a great match. I've enjoyed it a lot. I tried to enjoy the final. It's a special moment, special tournament,” Landaluce said. “I tried one game plan at the beginning that went more or less good. But then in the third set I tried to change it, to be more solid, more consistent. I think that's what gave me the match, the win.”

There are high stakes matches, and then there is Sunday’s US Open championship match between Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud.

Both players stand one victory from their maiden Grand Slam crown, a feat that would simultaneously propel them to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday. The match is already a history-maker. It is the first Grand Slam men’s final featuring two players competing for both their first major title and the World No. 1 ranking, a winner-takes-all showdown set to bring the Grand Slam action for 2022 to a thrilling close.

“We're playing for the tournament and also World No. 1,” said Ruud after his semi-final win against Karen Khachanov on Friday. “Of course, there will be nerves and we will both feel it.”

Depending on the result, another milestone will fall on Sunday night in New York. Ruud is aiming to become the first Norwegian man to win a Grand Slam title, while Alcaraz seeks to become the youngest No. 1 in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings at the age of 19 years and four months. Read More On The Battle For No. 1.

Youngest World No. 1s in Pepperstone ATP Rankings History

It’s a unique opportunity. There is much more at stake on Sunday at the US Open than a title. Both Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz are playing for their first major and to become the No. 1 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

One of them will be the 28th player to top the rankings in the Open Era. Both the Norwegian and the Spaniard have earned the opportunity on court this season, as two of the three players with the most wins in 2022. Alcaraz is the ATP Tour's match wins leader (50), while Ruud is in third (44).

Ruud, who entered the tournament at No. 7 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, is bidding to make a leap to its pinnacle bigger than any man has done before him. Pedro Clar, a Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar coach, has had a front-row seat for the evolution of the 23-year-old, Oslo-born player.

“The whole team is happy to reach another Grand Slam final,” revealed the Spanish coach. “At the start of the year, it was not something that was in our plans. After playing in Paris, now he’s in another Grand Slam final, and to do it on [a] fast court is even more noteworthy.”

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John Peers and Storm Sanders' long-held plan to team up on the doubles court proved worth the wait at the US Open, where the Australian pair defeated Kirsten Flipkens and Edouard Roger-Vasselin on Saturday to lift the mixed doubles title at the hard-court Grand Slam.

Peers and Sanders held their nerve in a Match Tie-break to complete a 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 final victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The fourth seeds were making their debut as a team this fortnight and they dropped just two sets all tournament to surge to the title in New York.

“I can’t believe we are Grand Slam champions, that’s crazy,” said Sanders when addressing Peers at the trophy presentation. “So, thank you so much for playing with me. We’ve been trying to set it up for the past year and I really enjoyed every moment on court with you.”

“Stormy, we got one! Well done,” said Peers to his title-winning partner. “It’s been a pleasure this week and a lot of fun, so hopefully we’ve got a few more coming up at some point.”

Storm Sanders and John Peers capture the #USOpen mixed doubles title! pic.twitter.com/JkOOxyTWtB

Carlos Alcaraz stands just one win away from his maiden Grand Slam crown and the World No. 1 spot in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The stakes have never been higher for the Spaniard in Sunday’s championship match at the US Open, but that is not going to stop the 19-year-old taking time to revel in the moment after defeating Frances Tiafoe in a thrilling semi-final on Friday night.

“Well, [the final] is close. But at the same time is so far away, you know?” said Alcaraz in the aftermath of his five-set win. “It's a final of a Grand Slam, fighting for the No. 1 in the world, something that I dream since I was a kid.

“What [can I] say? It is the final of a Grand Slam. Right now, I'm going to enjoy this moment. My first Grand Slam final. I will have time tomorrow to think about [winning the title].”

After prevailing in a quarter-final classic against Jannik Sinner on Wednesday at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz went the distance again on Friday against home favourite Tiafoe. It marked another stern test for the Spaniard’s Grand Slam credentials, but he held firm to set a championship match against Casper Ruud.

“It was incredible for me,” said Alcaraz. “I think I played great against Frances, who was playing unbelievable, as well, these two weeks. It's an incredible feeling to be in a final, to be able to win this match after four hours, 20 minutes.

His 2022 US Open dream may have been ended by Carlos Alcaraz on Friday night, but Frances Tiafoe believes his run to the semi-finals in New York could be the start of something bigger.

“I just proved that, honestly, I can play with the best obviously, and I'm capable of winning Grand Slams,” said Tiafoe after falling to the Spaniard in an epic five-setter at Flushing Meadows. “I think everyone knew when I play my best what I could do. But you know how close I can actually be to be one of those guys and to do this consistently.

“Obviously through my career I've been pretty sporadic of playing well, veering off for a while. I've always backed myself against the best players in the world. I'm doing it on a consistent basis, starting to beat guys more readily. [I’m] ready to take the next step.”

Tiafoe’s whirlwind fortnight in New York saw him become the only man to defeat Rafael Nadal at a major in 2022 witha fourth-round victory, before he reached his maiden Grand Slam semi-final with a sublime straight-sets win against ninth seed Andrey Rublev.

“I haven't even let it soak in yet, honestly,” said the American. “But craziest two weeks of my life. Craziest two weeks of my life. Stuff you dream about doing.

Carlos Alcaraz on Friday evening guaranteed there will be a winner-takes-all US Open final for the season’s final Grand Slam trophy and the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

The third seed battled past home favourite Frances Tiafoe 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 after four hours and 19 minutes to reach his first major championship match. Alcaraz is the second teen to make the US Open final in the Open Era, joining legendary American Pete Sampras.

"To be honest in the semi-final of a Grand Slam you have to give everything... we have to fight until the last ball. It doesn't matter if we are fighting for five hours, six hours. It doesn't matter. You have to give everything on court," Alcaraz said. "Frances gave everything on court. This is amazing."

Alcaraz, who has won three consecutive five-setters lasting a combined 13 hours and 25 minutes, will face Norwegian Casper Ruud for the title. The winner will claim his first Slam crown as well as World No. 1. If the Spaniard triumphs, he will become the youngest World No. 1 in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings (since 1973). 

"It's amazing to be able to fight for big things. First time in the final of a Grand Slam. I can see the No. 1 in the world, but at the same time it's so far away," Alcaraz said. "I have one more to go against a player who is unbelievable. He deserves to play a final. He played the final of a Grand Slam in Roland Garros. This is my first time. 

Casper Ruud advanced to his second Grand Slam final and his first at the US Open with a four-set win against Karen Khachanov on Friday. One point might have made all the difference.

At 6/5 in the first-set tie-break, the pair engaged in a long rally. Neither man took control of the point until Ruud unleashed a backhand up the line that Khachanov missed into the net. The 55-shot rally not only earned Ruud the set, but gave him a heavy dose of momentum leading into the set set, which he claimed 6-2.

“It was a very important point in the match. Of course, set point. I had not wasted two because he served well on the two previous set points. I knew this [was] a chance to win the first set. I'm on my serve,” Ruud recalled. “I missed a serve by small margins the first serve. Looked like it could be an ace. Second serve we played for the rally. I think we both just refused to do a mistake knowing how important that point is.”

Just your basic 55-shot rally to clinch the first set.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/sVwr7rYXj7

Both players struck the ball with plenty of margin until Ruud cracked the backhand that ultimately decided the point.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published on 1 June 2022.

Casper Ruud advanced to his first US Open final on Friday when he defeated Karen Khachanov.. It is safe to say the Norwegian did not eat any tomato in the pre-match meal that helped fuel him across the line.

In this edition of 'Food Court', Ruud dishes on his favourite meal to cook, his guilty pleasures, why he does not eat tomatoes and more.

Let’s say you have to cook tonight, whether for yourself or for friends. What would you cook and why?
I would go for spaghetti vongole. It’s an Italian pasta dish with clams from the sea. I really like it and it’s not too difficult to make, actually. It sounds a bit fancy, but it’s not difficult at all.

How would you rate your cooking skills? Are you close to a Michelin star?
No, I’m not a Michelin star. I’m far, far away from it. Most days in my year I eat either in restaurants or takeout. [I go to] restaurants obviously when I’m out travelling and when I’m home I try to do some home-made meals, but mostly takeout as well.

The battle for No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings at the US Open is down to two players: Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz.

When Ruud defeated Karen Khachanov in the US Open semi-finals, he eliminated Rafael Nadal from contention. If Alcaraz loses to Frances Tiafoe in tonight's second semi-final, Ruud will become the first Norwegian World No. 1 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

If Alcaraz reaches the championship match, Sunday’s final between the Spaniard and Ruud will be for a Grand Slam trophy and World No. 1.

Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings Round By Round

Ruud, who entered the tournament as World No. 7, is currently No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Casper Ruud moved past Karen Khachanov 7-6(5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 at the US Open on Friday to reach his second Grand Slam final, further boosting his chances of rising to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The Norwegian soaked up the 27th seed’s powerful hitting while he won an epic 55-shot rally to win the first set. The fifth seed played with great intensity throughout the three-hour clash as he forced the 26-year-old into errors to move to within one win of capturing his maiden major title.

Ruud, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros final in June, will face #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz or American Frances Tiafoe in the championship match. Should the fifth seed triumph in New York, he will become the first Norwegian to rise to World No. 1 on Monday. He will also climb to top spot if Tiafoe eliminates two-time ATP Masters 1000 champion Alcaraz in tonight's semi-final. By reaching the final, Ruud ended Rafael Nadal's hopes of returning to World No. 1 Monday.

“This match today was another great match from my side,” Ruud said in his on-court interview. “I think we were both a bit nervous at the beginning, a few breaks back and forth. But you have to take into account that this match is probably the biggest in both of our careers. Of course there will also be some nerves but I was fortunate to win that first set, which calmed my nerves a little bit.

“I played phenomenal in the second and Karen stepped up in the third. It was back and forth like every five-setter is, but I am just so happy. After Roland Garros I was extremely happy but of course humble enough to think that could be my only final at a Grand Slam in my career. It doesn’t come easy, but here I am back again a couple [of] months later.”

Italian Francesco Passaro has an interesting take on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“Sometimes I think it’s more difficult to play Challengers than the ATP (Tour), because we are more hungry to go up. I think it’s like university for us and then the ATP Tour is the job. We are trying to study to be ATP Tour ready,” said the World No. 128, who is now 27-12 at the Challenger level this year.

Passaro is one of six Italian #NextGenATP youngsters who have claimed a Challenger title in 2022. Luca Nardi, Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Arnaldi, Francesco Maestrelli, and Lorenzo Musetti have also triumphed this season. The fresh crop of Italian stars often travel to tournaments as a group.

With 20 Italians inside the Top 200 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Passaro believes his countrymen are feeding off each other’s success and benefitting from attention given to Italy’s highest-ranked ATP Tour stars, which has kept pressure off the country’s emerging talent.

“I think Jannik [Sinner], Matteo [Berrettini], and Lorenzo [Musetti] are doing well for us. They take all the pressure of the media and we can do our run easier without a lot of attention,” Passaro said.