This article is part of our Tennis Picks series.
The US Open wraps up Sunday with the main event: the men's singles final. Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud will face off in Arthur Ashe Stadium starting at 4:00 p.m. EDT, and the winner will take home not only his first career Grand Slam title, but also the No. 1 ranking.
All Tennis Odds & Lines are taken from DraftKings Sportsbook, but occasionally you can find more favorable odds by searching other mobile sportsbooks such as FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, or any of the best sports betting sites. Men's matches at Grand Slams are best of five sets, testing their physical fitness and mental resolve to a greater extent than the best-of-three format used throughout the remainder of the ATP Tour schedule. Both of these players have notched plenty of quality wins to reach the final, but a mix of their previous hard court results, recent form and stylistic matchups can help predict how this match will unfold.
Carlos Alcaraz (-235) vs. Casper Ruud (+190)
Alcaraz has been pushed to the brink but produced his best tennis when it's mattered most in each of the past three rounds, needing five sets against Marin Cilic, Jannik Sinner and Frances Tiafoe. The 19-year-old Spaniard has looked no worse for the wear physically despite his grueling road to the final, but Alcaraz will certainly want to raise his level late in sets, as he's 0-4 in tiebreaks over his past two matches.
Ruud has taken a less dramatic path to the final, as he's yet to be fewer than six games from defeat. His lone five-setter came in the third round against Tommy Paul, and Ruud triumphed 6-0 in the fifth. The Norwegian has utilized tremendous court coverage along with his big forehand and underrated serve to dismantle the competition.
In addition to a first career Grand Slam title, the No. 1 ranking will also be on the line for both men Sunday, as the winner will emerge as the new world No. 1 while the loser settles for No. 2. Alcaraz has won both of their previous head-to-head meetings in straight sets, including the final of the Miami Open on hard court earlier this year. That match provides a possible blueprint for how this one will unfold, though Alcaraz will face more pressure here in his first Grand Slam final, while Ruud already experienced playing at this stage in his 2022 French Open final loss to Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz is the flashier shotmaker between these two, but Ruud will make Alcaraz earn this one every step of the way.
Prediction:
Alcaraz def. Ruud 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3
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