Carlos Alcaraz Beats Andrey Rublev To Notch Up First ATP Finals Win; Casper Ruud Loses

World No. 3 Alcaraz beat Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) to lift himself off the bottom of the John Newcombe Group.

Carlos Alcaraz opened his account at the ATP Finals on Wednesday with an entertaining 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) win over Andrey Rublev, while Casper Ruud missed an early chance to reach the semi-finals after losing in straight sets to Alexander Zverev. World number three Alcaraz comfortably defeated Rublev to lift himself off the bottom of the John Newcombe Group and looked in much better form despite struggling with fatigue and illness in the lead-up to the match.

There had been some doubt as to whether Alcaraz, who lost his opening match in straight sets to Ruud, would continue in Turin after quickly ending his training session on Tuesday, with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero saying that he had trouble breathing.

"I could be better, I'm not going to lie," said Alcaraz on court after beating Rublev.

"I've been struggling with my health the last week and today I thought I was going to feel better. I was OK to play, but thinking about the first match I was thinking a lot about that I was sick, that I couldn't play.

"Today I really wanted to step on the court and just think about tennis, try to play a high level... When I played the first match I felt like I did not entertain the people, I did not play good tennis."