US Open 2022: Casper Ruud outlasts Moutet to arrange quarter-final conflict with Matteo Berrettini

Casper Ruud moved previous French Corentin Moutet 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-2 to arrange quarter-finals conflict in opposition to Matteo Berrettini within the US Open 2022 for the primary time.

Ruud fended off three break factors within the fourth set, whereas he hit his groundstrokes with extra depth and spin to finally advance after three hours and 22 minutes.

“I had a great start and the [two] sets that I won were not showing the real result. It was much tougher,” Ruud said in his on-court interview. “Corentin is a very tricky player. He has all the shots, runs well. He can produce trick shots and everything. I really needed to stay focused and stay sharp and I was playing really well until I got broke back in the third, which was frustrating.

“He raised his level a bit. But [the] fourth set I was able to break him a couple of times and serve good enough luckily. I didn’t change much but I was able to dictate the game more.”

On the other hand, Berrettini defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the five-set thriller to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open on Sunday. Berrettini prevailed 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the pair’s fourth-round clash at the hard-court Grand Slam.

“I’m really proud because I didn’t start the match the way I wanted to,” said Berrettini in his on-court interview. “I was down a set and a break and I found the right energy. I have to say I was a little bit tired in the fourth, and he was playing unbelievable tennis. So, I lost the fourth, and I was like, ‘OK, now I’m going to give everything’.

The win improves Berrettini’s record in New York to 16-4, but the Italian admitted he had found the changeable conditions so far this fortnight a unique challenge.

“I like to play in these conditions, I love to play here in New York, but it’s changing a lot,” stated the 2019 semi-finalist. “Two days in the past in opposition to [Andy] Murray it wasn’t humid, so it modified quite a bit. This morning I used to be sweating, I used to be like ‘Wow’. Today needed to drink quite a bit and that’s what I did. I did a few weeks coaching actually arduous earlier than the event, so I used to be prepared, and I suppose it paid off.”

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