Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud will battle it out today at 19:00 CET for a chance to lift their maiden ATP 1000 Masters trophy as neither ever played in a final before.
This is a final that was not expected but it's one the fans deserved. Quite simply put these two players have been by far the best in the past two weeks and they will battle it out in their maiden ATP 1000 final. Both Ruud and Alcaraz played superb tennis to reach the final however Alcaraz's run was a bit more impressive. His opposition was stronger and the way he handled all of them at the mere age of 18 is fascinating.
We are quite possibly watching the birth of the next tennis superstar and this final could be the catapult he needs to elevate him even further. Ruud by no means is an underdog here as the Norwegian is super solid. He has a massive forehand that can be quite useful against Alcaraz whose only weakness is his serve which tends to be lacklustre at times.
Both are extremely quick and both move around the court as good as anybody. Both have weapons that can trouble the opposing player so this match going the distance would not be a surprise. However, Alcaraz is widely considered the favourite and he should be. He pretty much has it all and his level this year has been insane.
He is extremely confident and he took down some spectacular players to be in the final. None of that is a negative heading into this match and unless some nerves overcome him, he should be able to get the job done. Either way, expected a good match and check back for a full report if you miss it.