Ruud manages Monfils 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 to reach US Open third round

Casper Ruud from Norway reached a career-high rank of #2 and was a finalist at the 2022 US Open (l. Alcaraz). While he suffered a temporary loss of form last season and dropped out of the top ten, he has reasserted his position with two titles this season and is ranked and seeded 8th. The twenty-five-year-old with 12 career titles is still seeking his first grand slam title having also reached that stage twice at Roland Garros (2022 & 2023).

Gael Monfils of France is universally regarded as one of a handful of supremely talented players who never won a grand slam. The exceedingly athletic and versatile Frenchman reached a career-high rank of #6 in 2016 and is currently ranked #45. The soon to be thirty-eight year old with 12 career titles reached the semis at the US Open in 2016 (l. Djokovic).

This was their third tour-level meeting having split the previous two. Ruud prevailed in a tight three-setter this past March on the hardcourts of Indian Wells.

Monfils won the toss, served first, and with three spectacular winners held for 1-0 while Ruud hit an ace out wide and held to 15 to level. Monfils opened with a colossal serve out wide and with a huge crosscourt forehand, held at love for 2-1.

Ruud missed 3/6 first serves but held to 30 to level with a blistering backhand down the line and a netted forehand from the Frenchman. With squeaking sneakers seamlessly traversing the Grandstand, Monfils gifted a double fault, faced break point following a Ruud forehand winner, and dumped serve with a mishit forehand.   

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Ruud made 3/4 first serves and held to love to consolidate the break while Monfils struck three winners including two aces and held for 3-4. Ruud made 4/5 first serves including an ace on game point to lead 5-3.

Monfils served to stay in the match and with his third ace, held to 15 for 4-5. The 2022 US Open finalist made 3/4 first serves and secured the set at love.

Monfils served first in the second and dumped serve following three unforced errors including two double faults. Ruud continued to stalk the baseline and dictate play. He hit a spectacular forehand tweener only to watch Monfils rip a winning forehand down the line. He regained the advantage and consolidated the break following three groundstroke errors from his opponent.

Monfils hit two additional aces the last on game point to get on the board. Ruud won an enthralling 15-shot rally when Monfils misfired and held at love for 3-1 with an incredible inside-out forehand.

Monfils netted two backhand volleys but with an ace up the tee, held to 30 for 2-3. Ruud donated two consecutive forehand errors to open the sixth but held for 4-2 with a serve plus one and two whiffed returns from his opponent.

Monfils missed 6/8 first serves including two double faults and though he hit an ace to save break point, and dumped serve after butchering a forehand down the line. Ruud serving for the set opened with a brilliant backhand-overhead volley winner and closed with two consecutive unreturnable serves.

Monfils had a slight meltdown but it was not immediately clear why the chair issued a time violation warning. Monfils continued to complain and implore the chair to reconsider and explain his rationale. Soon thereafter, the supervisor appeared and the conversations continued.

Once the dust had settled and the Frenchman decided to play, the errors began to fly yet he managed to regroup and hold following three deuce and two break points.  

Ruud seemed flummoxed by his inability to convert and soon faced two break points and dropped serve. The Grandstand crowd was now chanting “Monfils” as he stepped to the to serve. He opened with a mishit forehand but consolidated the break with three consecutive winners including his ninth ace.

Ruud back in a groove on serve, made 5/6 first serves and held for 1-3 with a crisp crosscourt forehand short in the box while Monfils opened with a blistering backhand down the line and held at love for 4-1.

The Norwegian reached 40-0 prowling the baseline and ripping winners off both wings but faced deuce before holding for 2-4 with a fantastic forehand crosscourt volley.

Monfils opened the seventh with his tenth ace and with three additional winners including another ace, held to 15 for 5-2. Ruud serving to stay in the set with new balls succumbed to the relentless barrage from his opponent and conceded the game and set 2-6.

Monfils opened the fourth with a double fault, faced a triple break point, and dumped serve when Ruud ripped the forehand return inside-in. Ruud with a renewed sense of urgency, opened with a splendid inside-in forehand but as winners zipped by, faced two deuce, break point, and dropped serve.

Monfils opened the third with a double fault and though he gifted another, managed to consolidate the break for 2-1. Ruud made 6/6 first serves but it did not suffice as he faced break point with a mishit forehand and dumped serve when Monfils crushed a crosscourt backhand.

The crowd gearing up for a five-setter and an all-nighter, held their breath as Monfils failed to capitalize on his improved level and momentum. The soon to be thirty-eight year old opened the fifth with a double fault and with another and a netted forehand, gave back the break. Ruud missed 4/4 first serves, hit a second serve ace, and held at love to consolidate the break and level at three.

Monfils continuing to play at an exceedingly fast clip, missed 5/8 first serves and faced deuce but held for 4-3 with an ace and a netted return. Ruud forfeited a double break point when he netted a makeable forehand in the forecourt.

With lightning strikes and rain on the way, play was temporarily suspended at 9:11 pm. The players returned to court at 10:53 pm and resumed play at 11: p. m. Ruud held to 15 for 4-4 with a 126mph ace up the tee.

Monfils gifted three unforced errors including his 13th double fault and faced deuce but held 5-4 when Ruud missed the return. The world #8 served to stay in the set and held at love with a monster serve out wide while Monfils held at love with two consecutive aces.

Ruud opened with an ace up the tee and with a remarkable forehand down the line held to force the tiebreak. The Frenchmen quickly went down 0-4 following three groundstroke errors and a poorly executed overhead. Ruud reached match point at 6-1 and claimed the breaker, set, and match three points later with a marvelous forehand down the line.  

Ruud survived an unpredictable and supremely talented opponent in challenging conditions to reach the third round for the third time. A tricky opponent awaits; Juncheng Shang just nineteen, has been making noise this season and on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

In the opening round, he knocked out the 27th seed Alexander Bublik in five. The Beijing southpaw is currently a few spots shy of his career-high rank of #73 and will take on the 2022 finalist for the first time with a coveted spot in the round of sixteen in his maiden main draw appearance