Casper Ruud is into his second consecutive final in Mexico after defeating Holger Rune 3-6 6-3 6-4 in Acapulco.
The Norwegian had to overcome an electric start from Rune to prevail in 2 hours and 24 minutes.
It was a clinical performance from Ruud who is now into his second consecutive final in Mexico after reaching the final in Los Cabos last week.
Speaking after the match Ruud admitted it was a tough start but he’s pleased to be in another final, “It was a tough start,” Ruud told the ATP website.
“Holger just came out firing bullets from the forehand, from the backhand and I had not too much time to play my game. I was frustrated at times, especially at the end of the first set, beginning of the second.
“I didn’t really feel like I got to play any points how I wanted to, so there was some frustration towards myself, towards my box, because I didn’t feel like we were doing the right thing.
“But luckily with one break in the second, it turned around a bit and in the third set it got a little physical. I think maybe Holger seemed like he was struggling a little bit and started firing even more and a couple of games it went in and he broke me, which is frustrating.
“Some unforced errors crept up on him and I served really well in the last game to close it out.”
Ruud is now into his first ATP 500 final in Acapulco where he will face defending champion Alex De Minaur.
De Minaur overcame Jack Draper after the Brit retired at 4-0 down in the deciding set.
Heading into Saturday’s final, De Minaur leads the head-to-head 1-0 although that was in a completely different scoring format in the Next Gen Finals.
Whatever happens on Saturday, Ruud will return to the world’s top ten.
