Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook
As an avid golfer, Casper Ruud knows all about navigating sand traps.
Today, Ruud showed escape artist skill on clay.
A resilient Ruud rallied from a break down three different times surviving Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 7-5 to reach his maiden Mutua Madrid Open final.
It’s the third Masters 1000 final for Ruud, who returns to the Top 10 by reaching this final.
Ruud will face either Indian Wells champion and new world No. 5 Jack Draper or Monte-Carlo finalist and new world No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti in Sunday’s final. Draper and Ruud have yet to face off; Ruud and Musetti have split two career meetings.
World No. 15 Ruud battled into the 25th final of his career on a day in which the hard-hitting Cerundolo outplayed him for extensive stretches.
Playing his first Masters 1000 semifinal since he lost to Ruud in the 2022 Miami Open final four, Cerundolo earned triple break point in three different games today.
Though Ruud took a medical timeout for a rib injury three games into the match, the Norwegian’s steely spine was on display. Ruud saved 15 of 18 break points, including 11 of the 13 break points he faced in the second set. In a rousing stand, Ruud rallied from love-40 down in the 11th game to hold for 6-5.
Afterward, Ruud said pain killers kicked in and helped him play.
"It's just like rib area, it's kind of sensitive, and when you have pain there it's kind of, can get pretty sharp," Ruud told the media in Madrid. "I haven't done any examination other than my physio took a look at it after and cracked my back up, which kind of felt like a relief. Hopefully it's nothing too serious, and we will go back to the hotel and treat it and do everything we can to feel even better.
"As the match went on, and I guess pain killers kind of kicked in, it was obviously better towards the end of the match than the beginning, so I guess that's a good sign in a way. I'll do everything we can and I can to feel better for tomorrow. And, of course, on Sunday night, I think, based on the way it felt, that it shouldn't be too much to worry about for Sunday."
Rocketing his laser forehand from all areas of the court, Cerundolo cracked 11 more winners—28 to 17—earned nine more break points (18 to 9) and matched Ruud winning 75 total points.
Yet, Cerundolo cracked under scoreboard pressure and Ruud’s experience dropping serve in the final games of both sets with some mind-numbing errors you have to trace to the pressure felt striving for his first Masters 1000 final.
Three-time major finalist Ruud improved to 20-6 on the season, including 19-0 when winning the opening set.
Under the gun at the outset, Ruud saved four break points holding to open the match.
Though Ruud held at 15 for 2-1, he requested the physio after feeling muscle pain in his chest. After treatment for an apparent left pectoral issue, Ruud ran into self-imposed problems two games later.
The former French Open finalist double faulted away the love break as Cerundolo went up 3-2.
Cerundolo was on pace for a routine hold at 40-15 but he lost his range and Ruud responded. Exploiting a pair of Cerundolo errors, Ruud broke back to level after six games.
The hum of the closing retractable roof over Manolo Santana Stadium was in the air as Ruud held for 4-3.
Serving to extend the set, Cerundolo felt the jitters—and the wrath of the whipping Ruud forehand.
Surprising Cerundolo with a backhand strike down the line, Ruud reached double set point when the Argentinean clanked a wild forehand.
Dancing around his backhand, Cerundolo crushed a 99 mph forehand rocket down the line to save the first set point.
Clubbing a flurry of diagonal forehands, Ruud drew the error to convert the second set point.
Despite the medical timeout and early 2-3 deficit, Ruud recovered, reeling off four of the final five games for a one-set lead after 48 minutes.
The pair traded breaks in the third and fourth games then came the longest game of the match.
A stubborn Ruud fended off seven break points during an epic 14-minute hold that saw Cerundolo net a couple of returns on break points and Ruud stop play to complain about one rowdy fan he said was intentionally yelling to distract him during his service motion.
Despite all that drama, Ruud came through the marathon game holding for 3-2.
Kissing the top of the tape with a forehand dropper helped Cerundolo earn his third love-40 triple break point of the match in the 11th game.
Shaking off stress, Ruud slid an ace down the T to save the second break point and dodged a third when Cerundolo jerked a forehand wide. By then, Ruud repelled 15 of 18 break points holding for 6-5.
Collateral damage from all those missed opportunities preyed on Cerundolo’s mind.
Facing a 15-30 hole, the Argentinean did not get low enough for a backhand slapping the shot into the net to face double match point.
On his second match point, Ruud closed in one hour, 53 minutes when Cerundolo sailed a backhand.