Exclusive: Casper Ruud reveals ‘flashbacks’ to US Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz

Casper Ruud admits he still has flashbacks to his US Open defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, but believes there will be plenty of opportunities to win Grand Slams in his career.

Ruud had already lost a Grand Slam final to Rafael Nadal – who he toured Latin America with for a series of exhibition events last month – in June this year before losing to world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows in four sets three months later.

Speaking on ‘Ruud Talk’, the Norwegian says he still thinks back to moments in the final in New York as he believes it was the closest he has got to winning a Grand Slam.

“US Open was the closest one and that’s what I felt,” he told Eurosport.

“I mean, I don’t think about it all the time, but there are periods of times where I get flashbacks like if I had just made that passing shot or whatever to get it to 2-1, because there was a couple of set points. But Carlos played brave, he played great in those two points. I mean, maybe I got a little bit passive in one of the points, but in the end you have to give credit to Carlos because he played very fearless and brave.

“He came to the net twice and it paid off. Of course, I can say I wish I had ready to serve in the T and rip the four and win the return.

“You can always say that, but, you know, do it yourself if it’s that easy. You know what I mean?

“Like, people are asking, Why didn’t you do that? Or this? And I say, well, it’s not that simple.

“But I mean, that was the most enjoyable final because I was the closest. But at the same time I’m getting sometimes these flashbacks like ‘oh, I wish I had one, because it would be a completely different story’. But it also gives me a lot of motivation for next year, knowing that I’ve been close to actually get it, if that’s ever going to be that I reach number one in the rankings, who knows?

“The odds are not very positive that the player is going to make the world number one, and the odds are not very great of a player winning a Grand Slam in his career. But I was close this year, and it gives me a lot of motivation to work even harder and hopefully being another fun let’s see what happens then.

“So you have more experience than me must on this, but I hope that it happens sooner than later.

“But I also know that there is a chance that I will never be in the final again. So let’s see. I mean, I’m going to continue to work hard and see how it goes.”

Ruud believes the younger generation of players such as himself and Alcaraz will have plenty more opportunities to win Grand Slams with Roger Federer now retired from the sport and Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the final stages of their decorated careers.

He added: “The amount, if you ask me, of talent around on the tour these days is great, and I think more players will have the opportunity and chance to win Grand Slams in the future than what we have seen the last 17 or 18 years”.