(Paris) The Norwegian Casper Ruud (5th in the world) won his first tournament of the year on Sunday by beating the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (40th) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) in the final on clay in Estoril. ).
In glorious sunshine and summer temperatures (24°C), Kecmanovic won the first game on his serve, before Ruud fielded five and pocketed the first set in 35 minutes.
In the second, the Serb put his opponent to the test. Each player had his chances, but Kecmanovic did not convert any of his five break points. No more success for Ruud on the three he got.
The Norwegian only made the difference in the decisive game, after a second set which lasted 1 hour 15 minutes.
At 24, he won the tenth title of his career, the first this season. While he had not passed the stage of the second round in the six tournaments played this year before the Portuguese meeting, he is again pointing the tip of his nose, on his favorite surface, a month and a half before the coup. sending the French Open to Roland-Garros, where he was a finalist last year.
Thanks to this new trophy, he will also find fourth place in the world in the next ATP ranking on Monday at the expense of Daniil Medvedev, who had stolen it from him last week after triumphing at the Masters 1000 in Miami, and who did not play this week.
Kecmanovic was playing the fourth final of his career on the ATP Tour at 23. He has always won only one, in Kitzbühel on clay in September 2020.
