ATP Finals 2022: Rafael Nadal clinched a morale-boosting win in the final match of his season on the tour. The Spaniard, who was out of the semi-final race, defeated Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5 in Turin on Thursday.
In Short
- Rafael Nadal defeated Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5
- Ruud made the semi-finals despite his defeat to Nadal
- Nadal ended the season with a win, snapping a 4-match losing streak
By India Today Web Desk: Rafael Nadal clinched a morale-boosting win, beating Casper Ruud in straight sets in his final match in the Green Group of ATP Finals in Turin on Thursday, November 17. Nadal looked sharp as he defeated Ruud 7-5, 7-5 in an hour and 42 minutes, much to the delight of his fans in the season-ending tournament.
With the comfortable win, Nadal also snapped a 4-match losing streak on the tour. Nadal looked charged-up as he took the court for the last match of the ATP Finals, knowing his semi-final chances were over. Nadal had lost to Taylor Fritz of America and Felix Auguer-Aliassime of Canada in the first two matches of the round-robin format in Green Group.
Nadal looked determined to end his season with a win as he dominated the proceedings from the word go against Ruud, who finished on top of the group and sealed his spot in the semi-final despite losing to the Spaniard. Nadal fired in 16 aces and won 93 percent points on first serve, proving to himself that he is still playing a high level of tennis.
The World No. 2 wowed the crowd with some stunning shots, which included an over-the-head smash in the second set. Nadal’s forehand winners were flowing and he looked more comfortable than before in the season-ending tournament.