Holger Rune was on his backfoot the entire first set. This is what makes tennis so appealing to me. Instead of being discouraged, Rune probably figured he was right there and all he needed was to make a few changes. In contrast, Casper Ruud did not make the necessary adjustments.
Holger Rune Looks Good On Clay
In 2022, Rune won the Paris Masters 1000 on a fast indoor court and seems to be liking the clay. I am still uncertain about his grass game; however, if he can stay healthy, what will he accomplish. You can never tell much from the first set. They were both tense; yet Casper Ruud seemed in better control of his game. Rune forced the tiebreaker by saving three break points, but he lost the tiebreaker easily.
Embed from Getty ImagesRune Not Ready To Rollover
While the first set was all Ruud, the second set was a more competitive affair as both players were broken. However, it was Rune who converted the second break to win the second set. They say you are only as good as your second serve, unfortunately for Ruud, his second serve did not show up in set two. At thirty-one percent, there was no way he was going to win the set.
Ruud Lost His Way In Set Three
Casper Ruud completely lost his way in the third set. Both his first and second serves deserted him. At thirty-five percent first serve, he was not going to win the set or the match. Rune tightened up his game and did not give his opponent any opportunities to break him. On the other side of the net, Ruud could not buy a first serve and he was broken twice. Rune is into his second Masters 1000 final of the season with the 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-2 victory. He awaits the winner of the Stefanos Tsitsipas versus Daniil Medvedev match.
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