“It’s going to be way different from two years ago.”
Emil Ruusuvuori is aware of the improvements in World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz’s game since the pair’s sole previous ATP Head2Head meeting in 2021. That match in Miami is nonetheless a source of confidence for the Finn as he prepares to take on the defending champion, top seed and home favourite on Friday in the second round at the Mutua Madrid Open.
“It was a super tight match.” Ruusuvuori told ATPTour.com when asked about his memories of his 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 win against Alcaraz in Florida two years ago. “I just remember at key moments I was able to play the best shots of the match and kind of take the energy from there and carry it on until the end of the match.”
What were the standout attributes of the 2021 version of Alcaraz, according to Ruusuvuori?
“His speed, overall. I think,” said Ruusuvuori. “From the body and from the shots he could hurt you with. Now, he can pretty much do anything from any court position he is in. He’s coming in [to the net] great, super-fast defence, and even the serve has improved. There’s not too much you can actually pick on. Overall, you just have to have the game solid, and at the best possible quality.”
The Finn found a way to overcome the Spaniard that day in Miami, and he will take to Manolo Santana Stadium on Friday full of confidence after some strong recent ATP Masters 1000 performances. Ruusuvuori won six matches in March across the ‘Sunshine Double’ of Indian Wells and Mami, a tally which included a run to his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final at the latter.
“At the very beginning of the year I wasn’t playing the best tennis, but then in Indian Wells I started to pick it up,” said Ruusuvuori, who is now 14-11 for the year after downing Ugo Humbert in the Madrid first round on Wednesday. “I was able to just show the best that I can, and the results were coming.
“I was very close in Indian Wells against Zverev [in the third round] and in Miami I was very good, so for sure it gives that extra boost. Now I’m playing well here, and I get to go on centre court against Carlos, so it’s going to be a fun one I think.”
The World No. 41 Ruusuvuori possesses some of the cleanest groundstrokes, off both wings, on Tour. The 24-year-old hopes the faster conditions in Madrid compared to many other clay-court events on the circuit offer him an advantage as he attempts to upset the No. 2-ranked Alcaraz.
“I wasn’t able to practise on the court I played on today [against Humbert] and I was surprised at how fast it actually was,” said Ruusuvuori, who is playing in the main draw in the Spanish capital for the first time. “Serving was key. It was very difficult to return if the other guy was serving well.
“I think that’s something I have to try to do against Carlos. I mean, you have to do everything right, but especially serve. If you can get some free points, that is the key.”
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Even if Ruusuvuori does bring his very best to the Caja Magica on Friday, however, he knows it will still be a tall order to become just the third player to beat Alcaraz in a tour-level match this season. For the Finn, that makes the occasion only more special.
“We know how much he has improved,” said Ruusuvuori, who picked up some more recent first-hand experience of Alcaraz’s level when the pair practised together during the 2022-23 offseason in Alicante. “He was around No. 100 [in 2021] and now he has been No. 1, won a Grand Slam and won pretty much everything already.
“So we know how much he has improved and how good of a player he is, but it’s going to be a nice one. I’ve never played on this centre court against probably the best player on the planet at the moment. I’m just going to go out there free and try to play the best tennis and enjoy this match. In the end, that’s why we are here.”
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