'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Top seed Casper Ruud of Norway beat Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 6-3, 7-5 in the semifinals of the Swedish Open in Bastad on Saturday (July 22). The match was over within a couple of hours, as the World No. 4 cruised to a victory.
However, Musetti fought reasonably well and played out some entertaining rallies with the Norwegian. Still, Ruud was decidedly the superior player and fully deserved his victory.
He has not played very well since losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open final last month and a title-triumph in Scandinavia will do his confidence a world of good.
On that note, let us take a look at two things that stood out from the match.
#1. Casper Ruud's more powerful groundstrokes gave him the edge
Casper Ruud had the more powerful groundstrokes of the two players and dominated the majority of the rallies from the baseline. He typically had the upper hand in the crosscourt backhand exchanges, as his double-handed backhand was pitted against Lorenzo Musetti's one-hander.
Moreover, the Norwegian also kept going around his backhand frequently to take the ball with his forehand that kept Musetti on his toes. Ruud broke the 21-year-old Italian once in the first set, which was enough for him to win it and draw first blood.
#2. Lorenzo Musetti played the drop shots more often in the second set, but Ruud hung on:
Judging that he was not being able to contend with Casper Ruud from the baseline, Lorenzo Musetti played drop shots more often in the second set to drag the Norwegian to the net. However, the 24-year-old Norwegian held his own at the net too, with the help of his subtle touch.
Ruud also played the angles well to make the Italian move from side to side. Still, Musetti was able to hold his serve in his first five service games in the second set. However, Ruud then broke him in the 11th game and served the match out in the subsequent game.
Musetti was able to win only 50% of the points on his second serve in the match, while Ruud fared better with 63%. That proved to be a decisive difference in the end, as the Norwegian moved closer to yet another ATP 250 title.
He will face either Frances Cerundolo or Andrey Rublev in the final and should start as the favorite irrespective of who his opponent is going to be.
