Casper Ruud mounted an impressive comeback to defend his Swiss Open crown, after seeing off Matteo Berrettini in a three-set thriller in Gstaad.
The Norwegian, the beaten finalist at this year’s French Open, made it successive triumphs at Roy Emerson Arena, after overcoming a first-set deficit to win 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.
It takes clay specialist Ruud to an eighth overall title on the surface and a third of the year, following victories at the Argentina Open in February and Geneva Open in May.
For Berrettini – also chasing a third title of the year after victory at the Stuttgart Open and Queen’s – he will be left to rue letting his first-set advantage slip, after getting the drop on his rival.
The Italian was competing in his first event since he was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon with COVID-19, and made an impressive start under glorious sunshine on Sunday.
Yet Ruud was able to take him to the wire in the second set, before breaking his serve twice in the decider to emerge triumphant in Gstaad for the second year in a row in the end.