Tennis: ATP Miami Men’s Final preview

Carlos Alcaraz [14] v Casper Ruud [6]

First we had the Golden era – the Big Three, Four or Five depending on whether you wanted to add Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka to the triumvirate of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. We had Generation Lost Boys with a chasing pack who could never quite live up to the leaders. 

Now we have a couple of layers of Next Gen players – the older guys are now having to make way for the next wave – and leading that charge is Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz.

With Taylor Fritz winning the war of the wounded in Indian Wells, it seems fitting that another maiden Masters title will be bestowed.

Alcaraz has dropped just one set but he has had to really scrap to make it this far, but on the verge of being the youngest Miami champion, can he keep up that momentum? The comparisons to Rafael Nadal are inevitable – and getting his first Masters would put him well on his way.

Across the net is Ruud who unbelievably won his first main draw match in Miami this year, and now here he is at the final of a Masters. 

Their head-to-head sees Alcaraz ahead 1-0, a win on clay, but the improvement of the Spaniard in the last couple of years is staggering,

Experience is marginally on the side of the Norwegian though – and the curtain closer for Maimi deserved to be a good three-setter.

Ruud’s use of angles could cause the young Spaniard some issues – he really had a tough time with that against Miomir Kecmanovic in by far his toughest match. But Alcaraz’s serve has been scarily effective, and his speed about the court will give Ruud a real run for his money.