Casper Ruud scores first win over Alexander Zverev to equal best Masters 1000 showing

MATCH POINT: Ruud finishes off Zverev in style

The first two times Casper Ruud faced Alexander Zverev, both in the quarterfinal stage of Masters 1000 events at Cincinnati and Paris last season, he was handed straight-set defeats.

On Wednesday night at the Miami Open, the Norwegian turned the tables to eliminate the No. 2 seed, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, with a well-rounded performance. His adjustment to a match scenario in the decider proved significant after missing an opportunity to go up a break at the start of the second set, and the world No. 8 will now be favored to reach a maiden Masters 1000 final against 103rd-ranked Francisco Cerundolo.

"I can thank my serving for the win today," Ruud said afterwards.

Ruud came out locked in with that part of his game, a quality that allowed the 23-year-old to assert himself on the baseline from the get-go. Zverev, who pulled at the right side of his neck in the early goings, provided consecutive unforced errors from deuce in the fourth game to drop serve. It was all Ruud needed, using a high first-serve percentage, his legs and crosscourt forehand to build an initial lead.

When set two opened, it appeared the sixth seed would carry his momentum over. The two-time ATP Finals champion quickly fell behind 15-40, but saved the first break point with a closing backhand volley, then reached back for a 100 m.p.h. second-serve ace to arrive at deuce.

It was the jolt of confidence Zverev needed, as his level picked up from that point forward. While he began to roll in the rhythm department, showcasing the impact his backhand down the line can present, Ruud fell off. After conceding just three points through five service games, he was broken in consecutive trips to the line thanks to a slew of sloppy unforced errors.

Receiving treatment to re-tape blisters on a right toe before beginning their third set, Ruud hit the reset button. After a strong hold, he once again found himself occupying a 15-40 window in his first return game.

Zverev began by repeating history in erasing the first break point with an aggressive serve +1 that set him up for a backhand volley winner. But when he was forced to hit a second serve at 30-40, Ruud altered his position, blocked a forehand off a 113 m.p.h. delivery and demonstrated he could construct a point that ended at the net to break.

Ruud didn’t back off the gas when trading blows, holding his nerve at 4-2, 15-30, to inch closer to the finish line. A superb final service game that was capped off with his sixth ace ended a 0-3 mark in quarterfinals at Masters 1000 hard-court events.

"In my game, I need to make a lot of returns. I want to play the point out. In Bercy, I was too short on the returns," reflected Ruud. "Today, he was doing a couple more mistakes, I feel. I was also returning a little bit better... a little bit deeper and make him play a little bit further behind in the court."

Of his five career Top 10 wins, the fourth-ranked Zverev is the highest-ranked opponent Ruud has defeated. The Oslo native is aiming to make his first final above the ATP 250 level. He previously contested 1000 semifinals in Rome (2020, l. to Djokovic), Monte Carlo (2021, l. to Rublev) and Madrid (2021, l. to Berrettini).