Casper Ruud suffers shock defeat to brilliant Jenson Brooksby in the Australian Open second round
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Updated 19/01/2023 at 06:07 GMT
After reaching two Grand Slam finals last year, including most recently the US Open final, Casper Ruud was expected to make a deep run at the Australian Open this year, particularly with world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz not competing in Melbourne. However the world No. 3 has crashed out in the second round to Jenson Brooksby, who has recorded his second win over a top 10 player in his promising career.
'That is outrageous!' - Brooksby wins 21 point rally to set up match point
Australian Open No. 2 seed Casper Ruud has been knocked out in the second round by Jenson Brooksby in four sets.
The unseeded American was able to dispatch the 2022 French Open and US Open finalist 6-3 7-5 6-7(4) 6-2 to reach the third round for the first time in his career after a match filled with epic rallies.
The 22-year-old will play fellow American Tommy Paul next after he beat world No. 32 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in five sets.
"First and foremost Casper is a warrior," Brooksby said in his on-court interview after the match.
"I knew it would be a great battle out there. So I was confident with my level and I just had fun competing out there and seeing what could happen.
"I'm just really proud of my mental resolve after the third set battle didn't go my way [losing three match points] and just turned it around.
"I thought I was playing really strong and I wanted every game not to lose my focus out there.
"Last year I had Covid the day before I flew out here but hopefully this is the first of many good years here to come."
Brooksby had to save a break point to make the score 3-3 in the first set, but he converted one of two in the very next game.
Brooksby wore Ruud down in a mammoth rally and the Norwegian eventually sent a wild backhand out wide to hand the American the advantage.
On the Ruud serve, Brooksby sealed the opening set. He let out a roar after placing a forehand service return well out of Ruud's reach.
Both players were happy to engage in long rallies from the baseline. Ruud got his first break of the match in the third game of the second set due to an overcooked backhand from Brooksby. However, the American broke back to make it 2-2 with Ruud making the same error.
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Ruud takes the third 'drama filled' set on a tie-break against Brooksby
Neither player could be separated in the 66-minute set until Brooksby got a slice of luck on set point on the Ruud serve, winning another epic rally when his backhand dribbled off the net cord.
Brooksby went a break up to make it 2-0 in the third set, but Ruud immediately responded by breaking back.
The Brooksby backhand had been a reliable weapon all afternoon and it helped him out greatly again to move into a 4-2 lead.
The world No. 37 had three match points on his own serve and physically threw everything at every point, but Ruud saved them all and got back on serve.
Ruud showed off all his Grand Slam experience to outmanoeuvre his opponent in the tie-break to see out an 83-minute set and force a fourth.
Ruud appeared to lose a bit of focus and Brooksby capitalised with a break to love as the 24-year-old lashed a wild forehand well wide.
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'Oh, yes!' - Ruud 'picks off' Brooksby with sensational passing shot
Brooksby remained mentally strong and broke the Ruud serve once again to get into a commanding 3-0 lead. Ruud got one break back in the fourth game, but Brooksby responded with his third break of the set.
Brooksby beat Stefanos Tsitsipas at Indian Wells last year, but he was able to add a second top-10 scalp to his record, and the greatest win of his career, on his fifth match point.
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