NEW YORK, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Third seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Norway's fifth seed Casper Ruud will vie for the US Open men's singles title after taking down their respective rivals in the semifinals on Friday.
Alcaraz needed four hours and 19 minutes to edge past American Frances Tiafoe 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3, while Ruud got past Russia's Karen Khachanov 7-6(5), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 after three hours' battle.
With the semifinal victory, Alcaraz become the youngest men's Grand Slam finalist since compatriot Rafael Nadal captured the first of his 22 Grand Slams at the 2005 French Open.
"You have to give everything you have to give," the 19-year-old Spaniard said after the match. "We have to fight for every point. It doesn't matter if we are fighting for five hours, six hours."
For Norway's seventh-ranked Ruud, Sunday's duel is also his first Grand Slam final.
"Of course, there will always be some nerves, but I was fortunate to win that first set, which calmed my nerves a little bit. I played phenomenal in the second and the fourth," said Ruud, who also reached this year's French Open final but lost to Nadal eventually.
"After Roland Garros I was extremely happy but of course humble enough to think that could be my only final at a Grand Slam in my career. It doesn't come easy, but here I am back again," said 23-year-old Ruud.
It will be a winner-takes-all US Open final as the winner will claim his first Grand Slam crown as well as the world number one spot.
"It's amazing to be able to fight for big things. First time in the final of a Grand Slam. I can see the No. 1 in the world, but at the same time it's so far away," Alcaraz said. "I have one more to go against a player who is unbelievable. Ruud deserves to play a final. He played the final of a Grand Slam in Roland Garros. This is my first time."
"I'm going to give everything that I have. I will have to handle the nerves of being in a final of a Grand Slam, but obviously I'm really, really happy and as I said before every match, I'm going to enjoy," added Alcaraz.
In men's doubles final, top-seeded American Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury of Britain successfully defended their US Open crown when they overcame second seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Neal Skupski of Britain 7-6(4), 7-5 to win their third Grand Slam title together. ■
