Holger Rune's ATP finals quest gains momentum with Basel triumph
Posted : 27 October 2023
Holger Rune's quest for a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals received a significant boost on Thursday. Not only did two players close to him in the ATP Live Race To Turin rankings, Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud, suffer losses, but Rune, who currently holds the eighth spot, secured a solid victory at the Swiss Indoors Basel. He defeated Sebastian Baez 7-6(2), 6-1 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Rune faced challenges in the first set, with Baez serving well and the Dane struggling to find his rhythm on the return. However, Rune stayed focused on his own serve and raised his level in the tie-break, which marked a turning point in the match. With determination, he saved the only break point he faced and broke serve early in the second set, securing the win.
With this victory, Rune now has a significant opportunity to extend his lead in the Live Race, holding a 135-point advantage over Fritz. He will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the next round, a player he has never met before in an ATP Head2Head contest.
Rune's performance was notable not only for his resilience but also for his success on second-serve points, winning 78% of them, which played a crucial role in his victory. Rune has a strong history in Basel, having reached the final last year, and he is now 6-1 in the tournament.
In the same tournament, Felix Auger-Aliassime, who defeated Rune in the final last year, continued his impressive form by eliminating qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. Auger-Aliassime will seek to defend his title and faces qualifier Alexander Shevchenko in the quarter-finals.
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