Ruud reaches first final in Houston

HOUSTON: Casper Ruud punched his ticket to the US Clay Court Championship final on Saturday, holding off a stiff challenge from qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan to win their semi-final match 7-5, 6-2.

Ruud, 20, is seeking to become the first Norwegian to win an ATP Tour title and will take on Christian Garin of Chile in yesterday’s final.

Ruud’s father, Christian, was the last player from Norway to reach an ATP Tour finishing runner-up in 1995 at Bastad, Sweden. Christian Ruud competed on the Tour for a decade.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be in your first final. It’s what we work hard for,”said Ruud.

The 22-year-old Garin defeated Sam Querrey of the US 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 in the other semi-final on Saturday.

Ruud had to battle back from an 2-5 deficit in the opening set to dispatch the Colombian Galan.

Galan finished his rain-delayed quarter-final earlier in the day over seventh seed Jordan Thompson of Australia, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Ruud has been impressive on clay this season. He reached the quarter-finals in February at the Rio Open and then advanced to the semi-finals at the Brazil Open.

Garin is also looking for his first ATP title after advancing to his second clay court final of the season.

Garin won their only previous career meeting last month.

Meanwhile, American teenager Amanda Anisimova reached the second WTA final of her career on Saturday with a three-set victory over Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia at the clay-court event in Bogota.

The 17-year-old sixth seed, who was runner-up to Hsieh Su-wei in Hiroshima last September, fought back to win 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.

Amanda, who impressed with a run to the Australian Open last 16 earlier this year, will face Australia’s Astra Sharma who beat Lara Arruabarrena of Spain 7-5, 6-1

Despite being a former junior French Open finalist, world number 76 Amanda had not won a match on clay in two years before this week.