The French Open is in the semi-finals with two exciting matches. Most anticipated is a battle between arguably one of the greatest players of all time, Novak Djokovic, and 20-year-old sensation Carlos Alcaraz, who could possibly rival the Big Three’s records down the line.
The night match will pit last year’s French Open finalist Casper Ruud against back-to-back French Open semi-finalist Alexander Zverev.
Here is an overview of the ratings:
Casper Ruud (+100) vs Alexander Zverev (-120)
VO/UN: 39.5 matches
Zverev is attracting attention due to his incredible comeback from an ankle injury sustained in last year’s French Open semi-final against eventual winner Rafael Nadal. Zverev lost the first set in a tiebreak, pushed Nadal to a second set tiebreak, withdrew from the match due to the injury and was sent off the pitch. He is now in his third consecutive Roland Garros semi-final. Amazing.
It is because of this scenario that one does not notice how well Ruud played in this tournament. Ruud flies under the radar while playing with control and consistency. Not only does he have a powerful forehand that will test Zverev’s defensive skills, but Ruud plays unfazed in the pressure points. Moreover, he has experience in match management having played in the French Open final last year.
What we’ve seen from Zverev is strong, but he’s not bulletproof. We’ve seen him give up his focus against Frances Tiafoe and Lloyd Harris in this tournament and be pushed into tiebreakers when he doesn’t have strong comeback games. Ruud has an aggressive style. He will have to use this aggressiveness to reach the final for a second consecutive year.
If it was the match of the day or on a faster pitch, Zverev’s serve could be a problem. Since this is not the case, Ruud will apply the pressure on Zverev by bringing Zverev’s serve into play and extending the rally. Ruud averages 13 break points per game. His offense will dictate the match, but his defense will aggravate Zverev. The Norwegian has already been tested by a big serve in his fourth-round match against Nicolás Jarry. He won’t give up cheap points. Ruud has played too solid in this tournament and will come out on top. My prediction is that Ruud will win in four sets.
The choice : Ruud (+100)