An unseeded American has eliminated another top seed in the men’s singles tournament at the Australian Open for the second consecutive day. After Mackenzie McDonald’s stunner against Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, Jenson Brooksby overcame second seed Casper Ruud on Thursday in Rod Laver Arena.
The Melbourne rookie was in charge throughout his 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-2 victory, with Ruud having to save three match points and battle back from 2-5 in the third set only to extend the contest. With a steady diet of crosscourt backhands that kept the two-time major finalist locked to his weaker corner for much of the three hours and 55 minutes, Brooksby earned the biggest win of his career.
“First and foremost, Casper is a warrior,” Ruud stated post-match. I anticipated a fierce conflict out there. As far as I was concerned, I was on par with everyone else and all I wanted to do was have a good time competing.
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“I was just really proud of my mental resolve there, after the third-set battle didn’t go my way, to just turn it around.”
In rallies of nine balls or more, the 22-year-old American was unbeatable. He won 50 of 68 points. Both men struggled to maintain service, with Brooksby having 13 of 25 break-point opportunities. But the American converted on nine of those opportunities to Ruud’s four, making the difference in the match.
The second set point for Brooksby, with Ruud serving at 5-6, 30/40, was the most pivotal of the breakpoints. A backhand from Brooksby brushed the net at the end of a tight 26-ball rally, and the ball slid over for a winner.
As soon as the second set concluded Ruud exited the court for a medical timeout. The third-ranked player in the world put forth a valiant effort to force a fourth set but was ultimately defeated. Brooksby’s mindset after losing the third set tie-break was to “just keep bringing my level,” he stated. “I felt like I was playing well and I made it a goal for every game to keep my concentration on the field.”
That ending is just cruel 😩
Lady luck on set point gives Jenson Brooksby a 6-3 7-5 lead over No. 2 seed Ruud!@wwos • @espn • @Eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/UqEUjPB1hJ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2023
As a result of the loss, Ruud will not be leaving Melbourne atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. If Novak Djokovic or Stefanos Tsitsipas win the Australian Open, they will replace Carlos Alcaraz as the world’s No. 1 player.
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The next opponent for Brooksby is fellow countryman Tommy Paul, who advanced to the third round by defeating No. 30 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a marathon 6-2, 2-6, 7-6, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4 match earlier on Thursday. Brooksby predicted that the match would be “another battle for sure.” Many Americans are thriving at the moment, and we’re all helping one another succeed. Simply put, “I can’t wait for the next one.
In their only previous meeting last season, Paul won in Cincinnati by scores of 6-3 and 6-2.
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