In the second round of the US Open on hard, Casper Ruud from Norway will play against Zhizhen Zhang from China. We're betting on Ruud's victory with a game handicap of -4.5.
24-year-old Casper Ruud, ranked 5th in the world, claimed his first win in the tournament against Nava with a score of 7:6 (7:5), 3:6, 6:4, 7:6 (7:5). In the previous tournament in Cincinnati, the tennis player lost to Pursell with a score of 4:6, 6:3, 4:6. In Toronto, he defeated Lehecka with a score of 7:6 (8:6), 6:4, but then lost to Davidovich Fokina with a score of 6:7 (4:7), 6:4, 6:7 (4:7). In Hamburg, Casper reached the quarterfinals, defeating Baesa 6:3, 1:6, 6:3, and Garin 1:6, 6:2, 6:2, but in the next match, lost to Fils with a score of 0:6, 4:6.
In Bastad at a previous tournament, Ruud reached the final. He overcame Shevchenko 6:2, 6:4, Ofner 6:3, 6:4, and Musetti 6:3, 7:5, but then lost to Rublev 6:7 (3:7), 0:6. Previously at Wimbledon, he passed one round, defeating Lokoli 6:1, 5:7, 6:4, 6:3, but then lost to Broady 4:6, 6:3, 6:4, 3:6, 0:6. At the Hurlingham, Casper also defeated Popyrin 2:6, 7:6 (7:4), 10:3. At the French Open in early June, Ruud displayed confident play and reached the final. He defeated Imer 6:4, 6:3, 6:2, Zeppieri 6:3, 6:2, 4:6, 7:5, Zhizhen Zhang 4:6, 6:4, 6:1, 6:4, Hari 7:6 (7:3), 7:5, 7:5, Rune 6:1, 6:2, 3:6, 6:3, and Zverev 6:3, 6:4, 6:0, but in the finals lost to Djokovic with a score of 6:7 (1:7), 3:6, 5:7.
Ruud showed high-level play in Rome in May, where he reached the semifinals. Throughout the tournament, he defeated Rinderknech, Bublik, Djerer, and Cerundolo before losing to Rune. Besides, in April, the tennis player won the clay tournament in Estoril, getting past Sousa, Baez, Halys and Kecmanovic. In the other tournaments of the current season, in most cases, he stopped at the second round.
26-year-old Zhang, ranked 67th in the world, scored his first victory at the US Open over Wolf with a score of 7:5, 7:5, 6:7 (5:7), 4:6, 6:3. Earlier, the tennis player participated in the tournaments in Winston-Salem, where he managed to overcome Ivashka with a score of 4:6, 7:6 (9:7), 6:2, but then lost to Fucsovics with a score of 4:6, 2:6. The previous tournament in Cincinnati did not end successfully for Zhizhen, as he failed to qualify and had only defeated Kressy with a score of 6:7 (4:7), 6:3, 7:6 (13:11), but lost to Fils with a score of 3:6, 3:6. In Toronto, Zhizhen left the tournament in the first match, losing to Kokkinakis 5:7, 4:6. In Kitzbühel, Zhang scored a confident victory over Lajovic with a score of 6:3, 6:2, but in the next match lost to Thiem with a score of 6:1, 3:6, 2:6.
In late July in Hamburg, Zhizhen Zhang reached the semifinals and coped with Choinski, Hanfmann, and Altmaier, but in the final, he lost to Djerer. In the tournaments in Gstaad and Wimbledon, he could not pass the start-up rounds, losing to Medyedovich 6:4, 1:6, 4:6 and Van de Zandschulp 6:2, 6:7 (3:7), 6:7 (6:8), 6:3, 2:6, respectively.
In June, Zhang showed good results in Eastbourne, reaching the quarterfinals. Here he defeated Sonego and Kressy, but lost to Cerundolo. At the French Open in early June, he advanced to the third round, defeating Lajovic and Tirante, but then lost to Ruud. The May tournament in Madrid also brought encouraging results when he reached the quarterfinals, defeating Rodionov, Shapovalov, Norrie, and Fritz, but losing to Karatsev in the quarterfinals. In the other tournaments of this season, Zhang did not succeed, and won no more than two victories.
The athletes met earlier on June 3 in the framework of the French Open; the match ended with a victory for Ruud with a score of 4:6, 6:4, 6:1, 6:4.
Zhang struggled through the first round and spent a lot of energy, while Ruud, on the other hand, is more stable and outclasses his opponent. Also, previously Ruud has already defeated Zhang, and I think the situation will repeat in the upcoming match.
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