Casper Ruud beat Albert Ramos Vinolas 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in 1 hour and 51 minutes to reach the final at the ATP 250 tournament in Santiago de Chile.
Ruud earned a fourth set point with a return winner in the tie-break of the opening set, and converted on it, when Ramos Vinolas failed to return his serve.
Ruud broke serve in the fifth game with an inside-out forehand winner to take a 3-2 lead. The Scandinavian player went up a double break, when Ramos Vinolas hit a forehand into the net. Ruud has not dropped a set in three matches.
The 21-year-old player became the first Norwegian player to win an ATP Tour singles title in Buenos Aires and the highest-ranked player from his country since his father Christian was ranked world number 45 on 12th July 1999. Last year Casper reached the Houston final becoming the second Norwegian ATP Tour finalist since Christian in Bastad in 1995.
“I feel good. Santiago is the last tournament of this South American Swing. I enjoy coming to South America so much. It’s been a special place for me, really. Last year I broke into the top 100, now I am playing two finals. It’s been a very solid trip for me. This is very nice to end the swing here. Norway and Chile are very far away from each other, but the nature and the climate are not that different”,said Ruud.
Ruud will face 19-year-old Brazilian player Thiago Seyboth Wild, who cruised past Renzo Olivo from Argentina 6-1 6-3 after 79 minutes. Seyboth Wild, who won the 2018 US Open boys’ title, converted on four break points and saved all three break point chances he faced. Seyboth Wild is bidding to become the second teenager since 2017 Umag to win an ATP title.
