ATP Barcelona: Ruud Outmaneuvers Arnaldi in Windy Conditions, Matteo Misses Opportunity

[3] C. Ruud defeats M. Arnaldi 6-4 6-3

In a not-so-beautiful match, the solidity of the Norwegian prevailed as he made fewer mistakes and secured the win. Casper Ruud, the 25-year-old Norwegian and current ATP number 6, managed to adapt better to the challenging environmental conditions. Annoying gusts of wind were better handled by the Norwegian’s spin shots. The young player, son of Christian Ruud who was a professional tennis player in the late 90s, showcased his lineage and earned a spot in the semifinals. Ruud, who will face Etcheverry in the lower semifinal, seems to be on a collision course with Tsitsipas for a rematch of the Monte Carlo final.

As we continue with the article, we will refer to Arnaldi as IT (Italy) and Ruud as NO (Norway). It’s worth noting that since 1989, there have been no Spanish players in the quarterfinals. Aside from Alcaraz, there seems to be a generational turnover issue in Spanish tennis.

First set. Services were almost ineffective, with Ruud performing slightly better. Ruud won the toss and chose to serve first, easily securing his opening game. On the other hand, Arnaldi, due to some forehand errors, immediately gave three break points to Ruud. A rough start for Matteo, who struggled with his first serves and made unforced errors. BREAK RUUD. IT 0 – 2 NO.

However, Arnaldi didn’t give up, and with a couple of net mistakes from Ruud, he quickly recovered the break, taking advantage of Casper’s errors. The first few games were characterized by more errors than winners. COUNTERBREAK ARNALDI. IT 1 – 2 NO.

The match continued with ups and downs, with Arnaldi struggling with his forehand accuracy. Another break point for Ruud was countered by a mishit backhand response from Matteo. Arnaldi’s accuracy issues persisted, leading to another break for Ruud. BREAK RUUD. IT 1 – 3 NO.

The match struggled to pick up momentum, with the ratio of unforced errors to winners at least 4 to 1 at this point. Both players made unusual mistakes, partly due to environmental conditions. The match remained a series of breaks and counter-breaks until Arnaldi held his serve with a series of powerful first serves. IT 3 – 3 NO.

The game lacked rhythm, and finding effective technical tactics amidst the errors was difficult. It seemed that the set would be won by the player who made fewer mistakes.

Ruud capitalized on this notion, breaking Arnaldi in the tenth game to claim the set with minimal effort. BREAK AND SET RUUD. IT 4 – 6 NO.

Short exchanges due to numerous errors characterized the game. It was not a physically demanding match, evident by the set’s duration of 42 minutes, which was standard. In this set, the serve was not a determining factor, with both players having a low first-serve conversion rate, leading to several breaks.

Second set. A balanced set, but the Norwegian was more clinical. Ruud sensed an opportunity in the first game of Arnaldi’s service and quickly earned a break point, which was saved by an intelligent second-serve ace from Matteo. Eventually, Matteo managed to hold his serve with a good first serve and a winning cross-court forehand. IT 1 – NO 1.

Arnaldi showed resilience in not falling behind early as in the first set. He gradually regained confidence in his cross-court forehand, which troubled Ruud. Despite Ruud making avoidable errors, Arnaldi couldn’t capitalize, leading to a break for the Norwegian. IT 2 – 4 NO.

Arnaldi continued to struggle, making unforced errors, gifting Ruud another break. The forehand remained inconsistent, with Arnaldi attempting aggressive shots against Ruud’s solid play. Despite the windy conditions favoring Ruud’s spinning shots, Arnaldi couldn’t find a breakthrough.

As the match neared its conclusion, Ruud served for the match. Arnaldi, known for fighting till the end, created two break points with forehand errors from Ruud. Despite Ruud saving the first with a solid first serve, Arnaldi had another chance. In a long rally, Ruud found the winning shot at the net, clinching the victory. The greater composure of Ruud saved him from five break points while converting one of his two opportunities.

In a post-match interview, Ruud acknowledged the challenging match and the impact of the windy conditions. He expressed his excitement for the upcoming match against Etcheverry and shared his special connection to the Barcelona tournament.

Overall, Ruud’s clinical performance secured his spot in the semifinals, despite not exhibiting his best form. Arnaldi fought hard but couldn’t overcome Ruud’s consistency. With the hope of battling for the title on Sunday, Ruud remains optimistic about his future matches.