2022 US Open men’s singles final result: Carlos Alcaraz beats Casper Ruud to win maiden Grand Slam title and become new World No.1

Ruud looks to make a statement with a big forehand to open a pressure game for his opponent.

Alcaraz retorts in the only way he knows how, by playing aggressive, attacking tennis with his own forehand ripping through Ruud’s defences.

It’s so finely poised now. A huge couple of minutes lie ahead…

Point. Of. The. Match!

Alcaraz fights back from 30-0 and engages Ruud in the longest rally of the match, defending quite incredibly until the No.5 seed finally puts him away with a crosscourt volley.

The Norwegian then nets a very make-able forehand to put himself under pressure at deuce, but a drop shot fail from his opponent proves most welcome as he digs out a dogged hold with a big serve.

Vamos! Alcaraz explodes with passionate delight as he finds some big forehands to turn a 15-30 problem around. Still anyone’s set.

Casper throws in his second double fault of the match, but it comes at 40-0 which is often the best time to do it. A 1-2 punch quickly follows and the Norwegian ensures he applies the scoreboard pressure at a significant point in this set.

Plenty of suggestions that fatigue will play a part for Alcaraz.

Don’t see why it should. He’s young, fit and been prone to five-set epics at this tournament where the momentum shifts.

He’s done it again here, but you can fully expect him to respond.

Indeed, he does in this game, crunching that forehand and easing to a hold to 15 to level matters.

Ruud’s forehand is dominant right now. He produces some gigantic strikes off that flank, including one that licked the very outside of the line to nudge the board in his favour courtesy of a hold to 15.

The pendulum swings and Ruud bites back!

The 23-year-old lures a slice error out of his opponent and quickly earns two break back points. Alcaraz saves one with a lovely serve and volley but then dumps a tame backhand into the net on the second and we are level pegging in Set 3.

Ruud hangs on!

The Norwegian cannons a backhand up the line just long and offers up another break point. The alarm bells ring at the prospect of falling a double break down, but he hits clutch mode to stay in contention with a wonderful 1-2 punch helping him solve the puzzle this time around.

Ruud wins the point of the game with a sublime drop shot, lob, drop volley combo – but it’s ultimately to no avail. Alcaraz consolidates with a game to 15, finishing it off with a wide ace.

That’s a shocker for Ruud. After fighting so hard to drag himself level he opens the door the Alcaraz to claim the early break.

A couple of unforced errors leave Ruud with too much to do at 0-40 and although he defends brilliantly to fend off two, Alcaraz claims the game on his third and final chance with a bewitching, angled drop shot.

Ruud breaks again and we are all square!

Alcaraz looks weary as the errors spray off his racquet leading to a set point for his opponent. Ruud butchers a second serve return but then gets another chance when the Spaniard double faults.

This time Ruud makes it count as he swoops into the net to slam away a smash to take the set in style.

What a way to consolidate! Ruud throws in a trio of awful unforced errors and faces break back point. The No.5 seed thunders down a 127mph wide serve to save it and then stays cool amidst a rare Alcaraz outburst of anger to claim a gritty hold with a scorching overhead from behind the baseline.

The crowd are on their feet as Ruud finds another gear to secure the first break of Set 2.

The No.5 seed hits back from 30-0 down to snare break point when he reads a drop shot and sizzles away a crosscourt backhand winner.

Alcaraz fights valiantly to fend it off but the Norwegian shows immense court coverage to dig out a lob and force the Spaniard to flash a backhand under pressure just long.

Alcaraz digs out a backhand crosscourt pass from behind the baseline and suddenly a 40-15 lead turns tricky for Ruud.

The Norwegian coughs up the first break point of the set when he is outfoxed by a backhand wrong-footer, but unloads a clutch serve to fend it off before riding the momentum to duck out of dodge.

Ruud flashes a loose backhand way long and it’s another easy hold for Alcaraz.

This match – and this set in particular - is still waiting to ignite

Copy, paste… repeat. Ruud is also in a hurry as he blitzes through a love hold to nudge the board in his favour once more.

Aces four and five as well as a 16th winner courtesy of a forehand volley ease Alcaraz on to the board with a very clean hold.