Ruud Roughs Up Berrettini To Reach US Open SF, Kyrgios Upset In 5; Alcaraz Battles Sinner

Casper Ruud got off the block quick and rolled past Matteo Berrettini 6-0, 6-4, 7-6(4) to reach his second career Grand Slam semifinal.

The 23-year-old from Norway raced out to a 6-0, 5-1 lead in front of a stunned crowd under the Ashe roof.

Berrettini, who crushed Ruud back in 2020 at the US Open, came to life breaking Ruud but the couldn’t the set.

In the third, Berrettini’s rebound continued going up 5-2 and eventually holding set points. Ruud broke and forced a breaker and took the match, his fourth from the Italian in six meetings.

“That was a better start than I think I ever had before in a match,” said Ruud. “Everything was going my way, I was hitting all the spots I needed to plus Matteo maybe didn’t serve as well as he usually does. I was able to take care of the chances that I got.

“I got a little bit nervous towards the end of the second set, because things were almost going too well. It’s good, but sometimes you can get over-excited and start to think you can walk on water… So I had to calm down a little bit, and luckily was able to serve out the second set, and the third set was very tough.”

Ruud is now a win from becoming No. 1, unless Alcaraz makes the final.

“I don’t want to think too much about it, honestly,” said Ruud of No.1. “It’s something that of course all young players dream about, so if I’m in a position to do it, let’s see if I can accomplish it… Of course, it’s a little bit of extra motivation to dig in, and even if you’re down on the score, to keep fighting. You never know what’s going to happen and if I’m very, very lucky I can leave New York as World No.1. So I’m trying to go for it of course.”

In the Tuesday night finale, Karen Khachanov scored the biggest win of his Grand Slam career upsetting the hot-handed Nick Kyrgios 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4.

Kyrgios beat one big Russian Sunday, but not today. Khachanov cracked backhands and imposed his power on Kyrgios. The Australian had a calf issue early on which needed treatment. He would drop the first but rebound in the second.

In the fifth, a loose service would cost the Wimbledon finalist. Khachanov was shake off two break points and ride his serve and power game to victory and his first Grand Slam semifinal.

Kyrgios was the tournament favorite coming into the day.

On Wednesday, the quarterfinals come to an end with Frances Tiafoe taking on 3-time US Open quarterfinalist Andrey Rublev during the day. Tiafoe beat Rublev in five sets last year in the third round.

At night, after both survived late-night 5-setters, Carlos Alcaraz faces Jannik Sinner for the third time this summer. Sinner won at Wimbledon and at Umag, and will now try to knock out the teen on hard courts.