Rafael Nadal finished his Nitto ATP Finals campaign with a flourish on Thursday, when the Spaniard downed Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5 at the prestigious season finale in Turin.
The top seed raised his level in his third round-robin match in Green Group, using the fast conditions to his advantage with some trademark clean ballstriking at the Pala Alpitour.
Nadal hit 37 winners to Ruud’s 19 and won 93 per cent (38/41) of points behind his first serve to seal a one-hour, 43-minute victory and round out his 2022 season on a winning note.
The win means Nadal finishes with a 1-2 record at this year’s season finale. The 36-year-old, who this year lifted four tour-level titles including major crowns at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, ends 2022 with a 39-8 tour-level record.
Nadal had to fend off considerable pressure in the first set against Ruud, who carved out the first two break points of the match at 4-4. The Spaniard’s precise serving helped him recover to hold and he then broke to love to take the opener to the delight of the vocal Pala Alpitour crowd.
The 92-time tour-level champion’s lefty forehand grew increasingly influential in the second set, although Nadal had to stay patient again as Ruud demonstrated the resilience that saw him claim victories against Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz in his opening two matches in Turin. Yet the Spaniard was not to be denied. He made his move in the 12th game, crashing a cross-court backhand winner for 15/40 before completing the win.
Despite Thursday’s defeat, Ruud progresses to the semi-finals in Turin for the second consecutive year. Joining the Norwegian in qualifying for the semi-finals from Green Group will be Auger-Aliassime or Fritz. The duo faces off in a winner-takes-all clash in Thursday’s night session at the Pala Alpitour.
