Casper Ruud offers Carlos Alcaraz a point after referee error in US Open final

Casper Ruud showed good sportsmanship despite losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the first set of the US Open final by giving his opponent a point following a chair umpire error. With the Spaniard serving at 4-3, the fifth seed recovered a ball too late and sent it back after the second rebound, with referee Nico Helwerth failing to call a "step-up". When Alcaraz hit a return error, Ruud conceded the point.

Ruud and Alcaraz are not only playing for a first Grand Slam title in the US Open final, but the winner will also become the new world number 1. With huge achievements at stake, the 23-year-old showed his sportsmanship as he conceded a point to his opponent who was already ahead.

After several break points came and went in the opening games, it was the third seed who got the first and only break of the opening set to close in on the US Open title and of the best ranking. And with Alcaraz serving with a 4-3 lead, he lost a point as the referee failed to call "not-up" on one of Ruud's shots when the world No. failed to reach the ball before his second rebound. /p>

The 19-year-old threw his return into the net, expecting a call to come, and shrugged in disbelief when the point was called in favor of the Norwegian. But Ruud was equally confused, as he approached the referee's chair and formally conceded the point, confessing it was a no-up.

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"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Ruud has just confirmed that the ball has bounced twice. The point goes to Mr Alcaraz," Helwerth announced to the crowd, correcting his initial call to put the Spaniard 15-0 up .

Alcaraz continued to hold on until the end of the set, taking a 6-4 lead in their first Grand Slam final. And it wasn't the first time Ruud showed his sportsmanship against the 19-year-old in a grand final.

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The pair faced off in what was a first Masters 1000 for both of them at the Miami Open earlier this year, with Alcaraz winning in straight sets. When the Spaniard had a second serve at 3-4 in the first set, he noticed that one of the balls was flat and informed the referee, who changed it for him.

Alcaraz was always supposed to have a second serve as he returned to the baseline but Ruud asked Aurélie Tourte to return a first serve to him following the brief delay during the tennis ball problem. "If you want to play a first serve, it's up to you," the referee told the two players as the world number 7 replied: "He c...