2023-06-03 11:49:33
Despite a difficult start and the loss of the first set, Casper Ruud (ATP 4) qualified for the round of 16 in Paris. The Norwegian, finalist last year Porte d’Auteuil, disposed 4-6 6-4 6-1 6-4 of the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang (ATP 71).
Casper Ruud took over an hour to find his bearings on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. Hampered by the power of the forehand and service of Zhizhen Zhang, too vulnerable behind his own 2nd balls, the double winner of the Geneva Open (2021, 2022) was hooked up to 4-4 in the 2nd set.
Zhizhen Zhang, however, cracked at the worst time, conceding the break on a white game when he was down 5-4 in this 2nd set. Restored to confidence, Casper Ruud took the upper hand in the 3rd round before settling for a break to make the difference in the 4th set.
Finalist in Paris and then at the US Open last year, Casper Ruud is the highest ranked player at the bottom of the table following the elimination of Daniil Medvedev (no 2). He might find in the round of 16 his successor to the winners of the Geneva Open, Nicolas Jarry (ATP 35), who was also his “executioner” this year in Geneva in the quarter-finals.
ats/bur
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