Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud LIVE: US Open men’s singles final tennis updates in battle to be world No 1

Ruud not going down without a fight here. Takes the first two points, the second coming off a missed drop volley for Alcaraz to go 0-30.

Great battling from the Spaniard though and ace number 11 helps him fight to 30-30. Another ace! 40-30 and it’s game point, which he takes to move one game away from his maiden US Open title.

Perhaps a chance of a first break in this fourth set as Ruud leaves one short and Alcaraz puts the backhand away for 15-30. Goes wide on the next point though – 30-30.

BREAK POINT Alcaraz after superb defensive work forces Ruud to miss an overhead. And he takes it! Ruud goes long and ALCARAZ BREAKS! He’s just two points from US Open glory now.

Big serves aplenty for both men now, as Alcaraz opens up with his eighth ace and immediately bangs his ninth down the ‘T’. WOW! Make that 10 aces as he bangs a third in a row.

Finally misses one, then the second serve as well for a double fault but then we finally get a point involving open play, which Alcaraz wins for a hold to 15.

Ruud digs out a volley on the first point but goes for too much on a forehand that follows. 15-15. Ooosh! Massive forehand winner by the Norwegian, unreturned serve and ace seals it to 15. He still means business.

We pass the three-hour mark for this match and there’s plenty of life left in it.

Ruud standing miles behind the baseline on the Alcaraz first serve. It doesn’t appear to be giving him any particular advantage as he slips to 0-30 before Alcaraz blasts one long down the middle after coming forward.

Makes up for it on the next point as he marmalises a forehand after a big serve and seals the game to 15 with an ace down the ‘T’

Some lovely groundstrokes from Ruud and a sublime pick-up volley helps him move within one point of the hold, which he seals when Alcaraz finds the net. Hold to 15 and we’re at 1-1.

Phew! What a third set that was. How do both players reset and go again? It felt like if Alcaraz lost it, it could have been curtains but the way he came back from the brink may inspire him.

He’s in trouble early in his opening service game though as Ruud forces him on the defensive and moves to 0-30. Great forehand winner brings it closer and a serve-volley levels things at 30-30.

Marathon 21-shot rally ends with Ruud going wide and Alcaraz then seals the opening game.

Oof, first-point ace for 1-0 Ruud, although he then shanks a backhand to level things up and can’t find a forehand on the next point. He can’t find his rhythm as another spooned backhand means it’s 3-1 Alcaraz…

Oh dear, the Norweigan had lost this here, wild again for 4-1 – double mini-break – and it’s consolidated with a thunderous forehand winner. 5-1 at the change of ends.

Then it’s 6-1 and that’s FIVE SET POINTS for Alcaraz. What a time for Ruud’s level to completely fall off a cliff… It was never really in doubt and he does it at the first time of asking. After 73 minutes, Alcaraz takes it!

ALCARAZ WINS THE THIRD SET.

The pair trade the first two points of this crucial game before a Ruud forehand finds the net off an Alcaraz first serve. Ooh, that’s an ugly attempted forehand that spoons well wide from the Spaniard. 30-30.

BRILLIANT BY RUUD! A stunning forehand down the line is too good for his opponent and that’s SET POINT! Alcaraz finds the first serve, looks in control but a brilliant Ruud attempted pass looks good until a stretch forehand volley finds open court and sees him SAVE it.

Alcaraz moves to game point but an absurd forehand is whipped over the high point of the net to bring up another deuce. Alcaraz into the net and a put-away volley brings up another game point but a forehand sprayed wide. Deuce number three.

OH MY! Cross-court forehand from out of this world off the serve, clean winner for Ruud and it’s a second SET POINT! Serve and volley, with a finishing overhead means another one SAVED though!

Backhand behind Ruud moves Alcaraz a point away but a backhand is netted. A fifth deuce… This game is approaching 10 minutes now. Ruud nets, yet another chance for the Spaniard to force a tiebreak and this time he takes it! Hot-dog attempt from a retreating Ruud only leads to an overhead Alcaraz winner. Good Lord, what a game! We’re heading to a tiebreak.

Great net play from both men at close-quarters. Incredible reactions and adjustments. A net flick helps Ruud and he can put away the next volley. 15-0 and he follows up with a first ace of the match for 30-0. Not a bad time for it…

Alcaraz then goes long before another big serves sets up victory on game point and now Alcaraz must answer the question again at 5-6.