Casper Ruud, 2022 US Open runner-up, withdraws from tournament due to injury

Casper Ruud, the Norwegian tennis player who reached the 2022 US Open final, withdrew from the tournament on Sunday due to a back injury. Ruud had previously been forced to stop playing during his opening match at the recent Cincinnati Open. Although he participated in the mixed doubles tournament at Flushing Meadows, video footage showed him struggling with his serve during practice sessions. The Norwegian, currently ranked 20th in the world, has been replaced in the draw by Arthur Gea, who lost in the final round of qualifying. The Frenchman will now face Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the first round. Ruud lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2022 US Open final. That same year, he also reached the French Open final, where he fell to Rafael Nadal in his bid to become the first Norwegian to win a Grand Slam title.