Top-seeded Alexander Zverev was overwhelmed in his first match in the Munich ATP tournament by 18-year-old Dane Holger Rune 6-3, 6-2 yesterday.
The German, ranked third in the world had been given a bye in the first round of a tournament he won in 2017, 2018, but only lasted in 1 hour 39 minutes in his second-round match against the 70th-ranked Rune.
“It was a difficult match from the beginning,” said Rune in his on-court interview.
“He’s in the top three in the world and has been playing some unbelievable tennis, especially in the past year winning so many big titles. I have a lot of respect for him, and I obviously didn’t expect to win in two sets, and with a scoreline like this. But it was a really hard match, we played a lot of rallies and I’m really happy about my performance today.”
While Rune had won the opening match in each of his last for tournaments, this was the first time this year he had won two matches in a row at an ATP event. It was also the first time he had beaten a Top 10 player. Rune, who turns 19 tomorrow, will meet either Finn Emil Ruusuvuori, ranked 63rd in the world, or American Maxime Cressy, ranked 65th, in the quarter-finals.
“I love this tournament,” added Rune. “It’s a bit at altitude, it’s similar conditions to Denmark, so I’m really happy to be here.”
Rune has shown glimpses of his talent in 2022, winning his opening match in four of his past five tour-level events before arriving in Munich. He had yet to win consecutive ATP Tour matches this year, however he changed that in style in Germany by completing straight-sets wins over Jiri Lehecka and top-seeded Zverev.
The win over the German is the biggest of Rune’s career and his first over a Top 10 opponent at the fourth attempt. Prior to yesterday’s loss, home favourite Zverev had not failed to reach the quarter-finals in Munich in his past five appearances, a streak that included lifting back-to-back trophies in the Bavarian city in 2017 and 2018. Rune was dialled in from the start at the Iphitos Tennis Club, surging to a 4-2 lead in the opening set as he measured a series of drop shots from deep to perfection, pulling his opponent around the court. Although Zverev found his feet after a slow start, Rune fended off two break points before converting his sixth set point in a marathon ninth game to take the set. An early break in the second set piled the pressure on Zverev and Rune appeared unaffected by the prospect of taking out the top seed. The Dane continued to draw Zverev forward to great effect with his drop shot and struck the ball cleanly off both wings from deep as the German struggled to find his rhythm, with Rune breaking again before serving out for a one-hour, 40-minute victory.
“I enjoyed it,” said Rune as he addressed the crowd. “Obviously it was tough, especially the first set when we played lots of long rallies. It was really exhausting but I tried to give the audience a great match because Zverev is an unbelievable player, so thank you very much for the support.”
Results from the ATP EVENT in Munich Yesterday
Second Round
Holger Rune (DEN) bt Alexander Zverev (GER x1) 6-3 6-2
Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) bt Maxime Cressy (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO x4) bt Ilya Ivashka 3-6 6-2 6-4
Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB x7) bt Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-2 6-4
First Round
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) bt Cristian Garin (CHI x5) 6-3, 6-4
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED x8) bt Brandon Nakashima (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
Egor Gerasimov bt John Millman (AUS) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2