Alcaraz struggles with stomach issue in loss to Ruud at ATP Finals and Zverev beats Rublev

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz struggled with a stomach issue and looked far from the player who won two Grand Slams this year while losing to Casper Ruud 6-1, 7-5 at the ATP Finals on Monday.

It marked Ruud’s first victory over Alcaraz in five career meetings, and the result could make it difficult for Alcaraz to advance from the round-robin stage at the season-ending event for the top eight players.

“I didn’t feel well on court,” Alcaraz said. “A few days before coming here, I got sick at home. ... This morning, I feel uncomfortable in the stomach.”

In the same group, Alexander Zverev began his bid for a third ATP Finals title by beating Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4.

The top two finishers from each group advance to the semifinals.

On Sunday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner and U.S. Open finalist Taylor Fritz beat Alex de Minaur and Daniil Medvedev, respectively, in the other group.

Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon to boost his career total to four Grand Slam titles. But he also struggled at the Paris Masters recently and dropped behind Zverev to No. 3 in the rankings this week.

“I have no experience playing on indoor courts,” Alcaraz said. “I’ll be a really good player on indoor courts, I’m sure about it. But I think it’s about time, about getting experience. ... A lot of players are better than me on indoor court.”

Ruud reached the 2021 semifinals and 2022 final in his first two appearances at the finals. But he has struggled recently, too, losing his first or second match in his last seven events.

“I’m not full of confidence,” Ruud said. “A match like today might be able to change it.”

Alcaraz was broken when he served for the second set at 5-4.

Alcaraz led 25-16 in winners but committed 26 unforced errors to Ruud’s 10.

Ruud converted all four of his break points while Alcaraz was just one of six in that category.

“I’m tired mentally," Alcaraz said. "Obviously a lot of matches, really tight schedule, really demanding year with not too many days off.”

Zverev, who won the finals in 2018 in London and 2021 in Turin, extended his winning streak to six matches following a title run at the Paris Masters.

Rublev is making his fifth consecutive appearance at the finals but hasn’t won a match at the event since 2022.

Zverev served nine aces and dropped only 10 points on his serve in 10 service games.

“He served wide 220 (kph) on the deuce side,” Rublev said. "Normally everybody serves slice and it’s 190. He find(s) a way to serve 220 wide on the deuce side. It’s not easy.

“Even if you catch the direction, when the flat serve comes 227, slice serve comes 219, 215, it’s tough to just see the ball.”

Before the Zverev-Rublev match, Sinnner received the trophy for finishing the year at No. 1 in the rankings.

“There’s no place better to celebrate this trophy,” Sinner said as his mom, Siglinde, looked on in tears. “Thanks for all of your support.”

Sinner is playing at home for the first time since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive in two separate drug tests this year.

A decision to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September. A final ruling in the case is expected early next year.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Russia's Andrey Rublev makes a return to Germany's Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Russia's Andrey Rublev serves to Germany's Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Italy's Jannik Sinner holds the trophy as ATP world best player at the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sinner was presented with the trophy for finishing the year ranked No. 1. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Russia's Andrey Rublev, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner holds the trophy as ATP world best player at the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sinner was presented with the trophy for finishing the year ranked No. 1. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz waves his fans at the end of the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Norway's Casper Ruud, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CORRECT NATIONALITY OF PLAYER RUUD Norway's Casper Ruud returns the ball to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CORRECT NATIONALITY OF PLAYER RUUD Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Norway's Casper Ruud during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CORRECT NATIONALITY OF PLAYER RUUD Norway's Casper Ruud returns the ball to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CORRECT NATIONALITY OF PLAYER RUUD Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Norway's Casper Ruud during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Norway's Casper Ruud during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CORRECT NATIONALITY OF PLAYER Norway's Casper Ruud celebrates after winning the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CORRECT NATIONALITY OF PLAYER RUUD Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts during the singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals agains Norway's Casper Ruud, at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Denmark's Casper Ruud during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Denmark's Casper Ruud during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Denmark's Casper Ruud returns the ball to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Denmark's Casper Ruud during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen were born about 15 months apart and first crossed paths a decade ago when they were playing in Southern California tennis tournaments for kids.

Tien, now 19, and Michelsen, 20, are close friends, frequently play the video game Fortnite together, trained with each other all offseason at the Tier 1 academy in Orange County and, once again, are competing in the same event — except this time, it is on a Grand Slam stage, and on Monday, they'll both be participating in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

It’s the first run for each this deep at a major.

“Really cool we were able to do it at the same spot. Our lockers are right next to each other, so before and after our matches, we run into each other. It’s nice to see a familiar face somewhere so far from home,” Tien said. “If you told us two or three years ago that this would happen now, it would be a little crazy to think about. It’s funny how it all worked out.”

Tien, who had to go through qualifying last week, is the youngest player to make it to Week 2 in the men's bracket at Melbourne Park since someone by the name of Rafael Nadal was 18 in 2005.

That guy turned out OK, huh?

Michelsen saw big things from Tien quite a way's back.

“I remember my whole friend group, we were like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s Learner.’ He was always way better,” said Michelsen, who added a third-round victory over No. 19 Karen Khachanov of Russia on Saturday to a first-round win against No. 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2023 Australian Open runner-up.

“He was 10, playing, like, 14- and 16-unders, and doing just fine,” Michelsen said. “Then we started training together in 2021. ... So probably (for) about four years, we’ve been pretty good friends.”

Tien advanced Saturday by beating Corentin Moutet of France 7-6 (10), 6-3, 6-3 in a relatively leisurely 2 hours, 49 minutes — two hours shorter than his five-set marathon win that ended at nearly 3 a.m. on Friday against No. 5 Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion.

“He is playing unbelievable,” Michelsen said about his good pal, before putting his thumb and index finger close together and adding with a grin: “Maybe I get 1% credit for that, because I hit with him every day."

Another player from California who practices with Tien and Michelsen frequently, Marcos Giron, called it “amazing” and “impressive” to them doing this well at their age.

“They play differently, but both are great,” Giron said after losing to No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Saturday night. “The court awareness. Super accurate off both forehand and backhand. Can redirect. Can come up to the net. Have great hands. They’re all-arounders.”

There are two other American men into the fourth round, both seeded: No. 12 Tommy Paul, who is 27 years old, and No. 21 Ben Shelton, who's 22. A different quartet — Paul, eventual runner-up Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima and Frances Tiafoe — was in that round at the U.S. Open in September, making these the first back-to-back Slam tournaments in 21 years with four U.S. men among the last 16 players at consecutive majors. (There are three American women in the fourth round in Melbourne.)

“On top of all the guys that are already at the top in the U.S., we have a lot more coming,” said Shelton, who like Paul already has been a Slam semifinalist. “It’s really starting to show itself.”

On Sunday, Paul was scheduled to face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain. Monday includes Michelsen against No. 8 Alexander de Minaur of Australia, Tien vs. Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, and Shelton against Gael Monfils of France.

“I'm not surprised. It's been something we've been talking about for a while,” said Tien’s coach, Eric Diaz. “We saw Alex breaking through, and we always anticipated that Learner would do this, too.”

Ben Shelton of the U.S. reacts after defeating Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Ben Shelton of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Lorenzo Musetti of Italy during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Learner Tien of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Corentin Moutet of France during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Alex Michelsen of the U.S. signs autographs after defeating Karen Khachanov of Russia in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Alex Michelsen of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Karen Khachanov of Russia during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Tommy Paul of the U.S. prepares to serve to Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Ben Shelton of the U.S. reacts after winning a point against Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Alex Michelsen of the U.S. gestures during his third round match against Karen Khachanov of Russia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Learner Tien of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Corentin Moutet of France in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)