Holger Rune shocked hometown favourite Carlos Alcaraz to seize the Barcelona Open title on Sunday, silencing the Spanish crowd with a straight-sets victory.
Alcaraz, chasing a 3rd crown in Catalonia and back-to-back titles after final week’s Monte Carlo triumph, struggled with a groin situation within the second set and fell 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The loss means Alcaraz will slip to No. 3 on the planet rankings on Monday, overtaken by birthday boy Alexander Zverev, who celebrated turning 28 with a win on the BMW Open in Munich.
Alcaraz started strongly and broke serve within the fifth sport, however fellow 21-year-old Rune hit straight again and was the higher participant from there, lastly taking his fifth set level within the tiebreaker.
Alcaraz utilized stress early within the second set, however Rune withstood it. It turned clear all was not nicely with the Spaniard when he headed off court docket for a medical timeout.
His last probability got here and went with two break factors within the sixth sport, earlier than Rune closed out his fifth ATP Tour title and sealed a return to the highest 10.
“It means the world,” the Dane instructed Sky Sports. “It was such an ideal match. In the start I used to be a bit pressured as a result of Carlos clearly performed big-time tennis. I needed to breathe quite a bit and discover my rhythm.
“Then it was a big battle in the first set. The first set was extremely important. I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune mentioned he thought again to Alcaraz’s loss to Novak Djokovic within the Olympic last final summer season as he sought a successful technique.
“I kind of played it in my mind,” he mentioned. “I thought to myself, ‘OK, let’s try to play that kind of style, really make him play a lot of balls.’ I’m very happy with how I stayed composed when it really mattered, and I was also very brave.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com