Norway’s Casper Ruud believes that a final of the US Open
2023 between the world number one Carlos Alcaraz and the world number two Serbia’s
Novak Djokovic will be a ‘treat’ for the tennis fans.
The fourth and final Grand Slam of the year is set to begin
in less than five days’ time where players from all over the world will participate
to showcase their skills at the highest level.
Ruud, who was the runner-up last year in New York, believes
a final between the two best players on the planet will be nothing short of a treat
for the fans.
"Carlos and Novak, they kind of play similar tennis in
a way," he said while talking to Eurosport. "Just there's one thing
that they do opposite. I mean, they have kind of all shots in the book. But
Carlos maybe plays at a little higher speed in the way he can accelerate even
more. But they move great. They have all shots. It's tough to find their
weaknesses.
"They both have a good drop shot. Carlos plays maybe
more forehands, Novak defends from the backhand side.
"They're good enough as it is on the net. They've got
good hand skills and their returns are great. So obviously it's always going to
be a good match-up when they play each other. And you've seen it in the past
four times that they've played and they have 2-2 head-to-head.
"It's always been a really, really good match. It's a
match-up that is going to be a treat for fans and who knows for how many years.
When they play it's going to be interesting and I'm one of the players who are
going to try to stop them from playing again here in New York because it means
that if they play, it's in the final.
"So everyone else also wants to reach the final, but
they're now the guys who mostly fans will keep their eyes on during the
tournament. And they're the two biggest favourites for sure."
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.