By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday February 15, 2020
Norway's Casper Ruud booked his spot alongside lucky loser Pedro Sousa in the Argentina Open final.
Photo Source: Tennis TV
Norway’s great hope hopes to win his first ATP title on Sunday. 21-year-old Casper Ruud, who excels on the clay, defeated Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Londero 4-6 7-5 6-1 in two hours and 12 minutes to book his second career ATP final, and first of 2020.
For his troubles, Ruud will set a career-high ranking next week. He’ll move from his current perch at 45 in the ATP rankings to inside the Top 40. He could rise to 35 if he is able to defeat Portugal’s Pedro Sousa in Sunday’s final.
Sousa, a 31-year-old lucky loser from Lisbon, has become just the third player from his country to reach an ATP final in the Open Era after Diego Schwartzman was forced to pull out of today’s semifinal with a thigh injury.
Sousa joins Joao Sousa and Fred Gil on the list.
The World No.145 has never been higher than 99 in the ATP rankings.
Ruud won 10 of the final 11 games on Saturday after coming three points from defeat against Londero. The World No.69 served for the match at 5-4 but lost his way from there.
Ruud and Sousa have never met at the ATP level but Sousa did defeat Ruud in the 2018 Braga Challenger final (in Portugal) in three sets.