In a sport where the smallest margins make the biggest differences, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud have both turned to an unexpected performance aid this week: nasal strips.

Alcaraz and Ruud have sported the adhesive bands — typically used to improve airflow during sleep — in each of their four respective matches. And the results, whether direct correlation or not, speak for themselves. The Spaniard is into the ABN AMRO Open final while Ruud will battle for the Dallas Open title.

“I really felt like it helped when I was sleeping and so I brought it to practice a few days and I was like, ‘Okay, the glue sticks to the nose and it doesn’t fall off,’” Ruud said in a press conference following his semi-final victory against Jaume Munar. “And I also felt quite good on court with it. It gives me just a few percentage extra oxygen, I don’t know — I haven’t tested it or anything but the feeling on court is that I can last longer in a rally, so that’s a good feeling.”

At last year’s Nitto ATP Finals, where Ruud and Alcaraz were both competing — and faced each other in a round-robin match won by the Norwegian — the 21-year-old Spaniard sported a pink nasal strip. In Rotterdam, Alcaraz is using a black nasal strip, the same colour Ruud wore during Davis Cup action last week and now at the indoor hard ATP 500.

“I just saw it online through X or Instagram or something, whatever it was. I was like, ‘Alright, I’m going to try it,’” Ruud said. “It looked really appealing and I was thinking it would help with my sleep, maybe feeling a bit more recovered after a long training day."

Alcaraz said: “It’s for my health. I caught a cold when I was at home, but I’m feeling better every day. I was struggling a little bit at home. I could only train for two days and then I had to rest until the cold got better.”

With trophies on the line in their next match, Alcaraz and Ruud will be looking to keep their momentum flowing — one breath at a time.