Holger Rune beat Novak Djokovic to win the Paris Masters (AP Photo)
After winning the title on either side of Sofia in Stockholm and runners-up in Basel, Rune began their run to the fourth straight final by saving three match points in the first round by defeating Stan Wawrinka.
- AFP Paris, France
- Last Update: November 7, 2022, 11:39 IST
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Danish teenager Holger Rune beat six-time champion Novak Djokovic to win his maiden Masters title in Paris on Sunday, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Rune Paris, 19, became the tournament’s youngest winner since 18-year-old Boris Becker in 1986, beating five top-10 players in as many days – the first to do so in a single tournament.
He is the fifth player to complete the Masters for the first time this season and will be the first Danish player to break into the top 10 on Monday.
“It’s probably the best feeling of my life, of my entire career,” Rune said.
“It’s like a small dream come true, even though I have big dreams.”
After winning the title on either side of Sofia in Stockholm and runners-up in Basel, Rune defeated Stan Wawrinka and saved three match points in the first round to begin his run for a fourth straight final.
He then defeated Hubert Hárcaz and then Andrey Rublev, defeated Carlos Alcaraz, the world number one player who retired with an injury while being one set behind in the quarter-finals.
Rune broke Felix Auger-Aliassim’s 16-match winning streak to set up a clash with Djokovic, who had not lost at Bercy since his loss to Karen Khachanov in the 2018 final.
“It was also very important for me to defeat Felix and Alcaraz and these guys,” Rune said.
“But still, to be able to beat Novak on such an occasion, and he’s probably one of the greatest players we’ve ever had in this game – to be able to beat him in this final is a crazy feeling.”
Serbia’s Djokovic reached Sunday’s final, winning 21 of 22 matches since his Wimbledon debut, which he won against Pete Sampras for the seventh time in July.
“For someone who is too young to show such restraint and maturity in such a big match, very impressive. It’s been a week of his life,” Djokovic said.
He broke through for a 3-1 lead as Rune served back-to-back double faults in the biggest final of his career so far.
Djokovic comfortably captured the opening set and kept Rune on the ropes as he went 40-0 on his opponent’s serve in the first game of the second set.
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But Rune made a brilliant comeback to thwart Djokovic and then quickly turned the momentum in his favor by braking to lead 2-0 in the next game, which proved enough to force a decider.
The 16-year age difference between the pair was the biggest in the Masters final since Rafael Nadal defeated 35-year-old Andre Agassi in Montreal in 2005.
Rune’s inexperience came to the fore again when he attempted a big second serve to give Djokovic a 3–1 lead, but the Dane showed his remarkable character to break straight back.
Instead it was Djokovic who cracked under the most of the pressure, with a forehand wide giving Rune a chance to serve for the trophy.
Rune scored six break points in the marathon final game before securing the title after two hours and 34 minutes to complete an incredible week in the French capital.
“It was the most stressful game of my life,” said Rune of the amusing finale. “My heart was almost in my head. I was already thinking about the tie-break. I’m so proud that I could make it.”
Rune has qualified for next week’s Next Gen Finals in Milan, but with his win over Djokovic, he becomes the first option for the ATP Finals in Turin from 13-20 November.
Djokovic will focus on winning the season-ending final for a record sixth time to tie with Roger Federer.
“Of course I’m disappointed with the loss today, but I was very close,” Djokovic said.
“It was the very few points that decided the winner. But the level of tennis I’m playing is high, and I love my chances (in Turin).
He said, ‘Every match there is like a final. There are no easy matches.”
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