TENNIS – CASPER Ruud overcame a stern test from ailing second seed Holger Rune and clinched a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory, reaching the Mexican Open final - a title clash with defending champion Alex de Minaur. It will be Ruud’s second final in Mexico in as many weeks, but he will hope for a better result today after being beaten in Los Cabos by another Australian, Jordan Thompson.
The Norwegian was pushed to the limit by world No. 7 Rune in physically demanding conditions in Acapulco. Rune came out firing and took the opening set. He was a point away from a break in the third game of the next set, but the Dane suddenly began to lose momentum. The 20-year-old eventually squandered the opportunity as sixth-seed Ruud regrouped and levelled at one set apiece. Earlier, De Minaur entered the final when Briton Jack Draper retired from their semi-final because of an undisclosed issue while trailing 6-3, 2-6, 4-0.