"It's six, seven minutes where I kind of walk around doing nothing" - Casper Ruud on long wait before fifth set of US Open 2R loss

Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud was ousted from the second round of the US Open on Wednesday in a five-set match against Zhang Zhizhen. This marked a disappointing result for Ruud, who had reached the final of the same tournament last year.

Ruud cited an extended break before the decisive fifth set as a factor that disrupted his rhythm, stating:

"It's six, seven minutes where I kind of walk around doing nothing."

The match, which Zhizhen won 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2, saw Ruud make an impressive comeback in the fourth set with a 6-0 win, only to lose momentum in the fifth.

He attributed this change in part to the lengthy wait before the final set, caused by what he perceived as an extended clothing change and restroom break by his opponent.

"I was in the flow, I won the fourth set 6-Love, I wanted to kind of keep it going. I have to wait for six, seven minutes because it takes a little while to get into the room, then five minutes in the room, then he has to come back to the court."

He expressed frustration with the delay, questioning the chair umpire about the specifics of the rule and how it was enforced in Grand Slam events versus ATP tournaments.

The 2023 season has been challenging for Casper Ruud, who admitted to being disappointed with his results so far, despite a significant accomplishment:

"The highlight was Roland Garros, kind of changed a little bit everything for me. Without Roland Garros, I would be pretty disappointed on how the year has been," he stated.

During the press conference, Ruud also gave credit to his opponent, Zhang Zhizhen, who he felt was a better player at crucial moments.

"He plays so fast that I kind of find it difficult to set up my shots," Ruud acknowledged.

Despite the loss, Casper Ruud commended the New York crowd for their support.

"I've been welcomed really well this year. Since last year and what happened, of course, I think I might have gained some fans here in New York," he said.

The Norwegian's next step will be a period of analysis and training as he looks to rebound from his US Open exit.

"I'm going to get some time home, rest, work on my game, yeah, be fit and strong hopefully for Asia," Ruud stated.

Casper Ruud falls to Zhang Zhizhen in five-set thriller at US Open

Casper Ruud loses in the second round at US Open 2023

Casper Ruud, the 5th seed at this year's US Open, was defeated by Zhang Zhizhen of China on Wednesday in a match that lasted five sets.

The Norwegian player, who had been the runner-up in the 2022 US Open, was widely considered the favorite to win this match.

Despite expectations, Zhang executed a masterful game, striking 59 winners in the course of the encounter. His defensive play also stood out, with the Chinese athlete managing to save 10 out of 11 break points he faced.

The final score read 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 in favor of Zhang, as he wrapped up the match in three hours and 18 minutes.

Casper Ruud had made it to the finals of the French Open earlier this year, where he lost against Novak Djokovic. However, this marks his exit in the second round of three of the four Grand Slam tournaments of 2023.

Prior to this loss, Casper Ruud had an unbroken record of defeating unseeded opponents in 11 consecutive matches. This match also marks Ruud's first defeat against a player ranked outside the top 50 since 2019.