Jenson Brooksby, the 22-year-old American player has pulled off a major upset at the Australian Open, defeating No. 2 seed Casper Ruud 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2 in the second round of the tournament. This comes after 27-year-old American player Mackenzie McDonald defeated the top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal on Wednesday. Brooksby, who is ranked 39th and making his Australian Open debut, had to pull out of the tournament last year due to a COVID-19 infection.
Brooksby’s unique playing style, which includes two-handed backhand volleys, proved to be a major trouble for Ruud, who took a medical timeout after the second set. Despite holding three match points while trying to serve for the victory at 5-3 in the third set, Brooksby could not capitalize on them. However, he managed to right himself in the fourth set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. He eventually finished the match 1 hour, 15 minutes after his first chance.
This performance by Brooksby continues the run of strong play by American men during the first week of the tournament, which is a significant development given that no American player has won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick in the 2003 U.S. Open. Brooksby joins other American players Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, and J.J. Wolf, who also won on Thursday, along with McDonald, No. 16 Frances Tiafoe, and No. 29 Sebastian Korda, who all won on Wednesday.
In summary, Brooksby’s victory over Ruud is a major upset and continues the strong run of American men at the tournament. His unique playing style and ability to track down opponent’s shots proved to be a major trouble for Ruud. Despite the disappointment of not capitalizing on match points, Brooksby was able to regroup and finish the match strong. With this win, Brooksby joins other American players in the third round, giving hope for a possible American champion at the tournament.
