Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud delivered an exciting battle in their second-set showdown, with both players showing impressive skills, particularly during the opening five games. Carlos was much improved from the first set, showing greater precision and consistency in his shots. In the sixth game of the set, he found an opportunity to break as he hit a stunning forehand crosscourt winner. Later, he produced a volley winner for his only successful return game, maintaining the pressure on Ruud.
World No. 3, Ruud, responded well in the seventh game, hitting a remarkable forehand winner to close it in style and take a 5-2 lead. Serving for the set at 5-3, Ruud’s game faltered slightly, and a loose backhand error allowed Carlos to break back at 15, giving him another chance to level the set. However, Ruud was undeterred, and he managed to grab the tenth game at love, bringing the score to 5-5.
In the following game, Ruud seized on a massive forehand error from his opponent, which set him up for a break chance. With a deep return, Casper forced Carlos into the mistake, earning the break and putting himself in a commanding position at 6-5. The Norwegian then served for the match in the 12th game but faced a tense moment as he squandered two match points. However, Ruud kept his composure, drawing yet another mistake from the Spaniard on the third match point, before finally sealing the victory with an ace, marking an impressive start to his tournament campaign.