Match Report
Rune handles late matchup change, knocks off Bautista Agut in Montreal opener
Tiafoe meets Tabilo to shut night session
August 07, 2024
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Holger Rune improves to 13-2 in his opening rounds this season.
By ATP Employees
After withdrawing from the Olympics with a wrist damage, Holger Rune made a profitable return to competitors with a gap win Tuesday on the Omnium Banque Nationwide présenté par Rogers. In his first hard-court match since Miami, Rune dominated early and late in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory in opposition to fortunate loser Roberto Bautista Agut.
Now 13-2 in his opening rounds this season, together with 6-1 on onerous courts, Rune will subsequent meet Pablo Carreno Busta or Fabian Marozsan on the Montreal ATP Masters 1000.
“It was a problem for positive,” Rune stated. “It is by no means straightforward coming again after slightly break — not the longest break, however for me, I am very younger and fortuitously I have not been injured a lot. It was troublesome however I believe I managed to search out the rhythm rapidly. I did not handle to maintain it within the second set. He performed good, was feeling free. It was type of an additional likelihood that he obtained to play a match. Comfortable that I may get by means of.”
Holger strikes
Rune takes his first win in Montreal with a 6-2 3-6 6-2 win in opposition to Bautista Agut
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Simply minutes earlier than the match, Bautista Agut changed Milos Raonic, who withdrew with a shoulder damage. The Spaniard performed two matches and 6 units Tuesday, competing for greater than 5 hours throughout defeats to Thanasi Kokkinakis in qualifying and Rune in the primary draw.
“It was type of tough. It is two utterly completely different sport kinds,” Rune stated of the late change. “I type of needed to alter from one tactic to a different in 5 minutes. Fortunately I performed Bautista earlier than so I had a clue, and clearly he is been on Tour for a few years, so I do know him very properly.
“It was not straightforward. I used to be anticipating a giant server and making an attempt to handle to get within the rallies with Milos, and now it was a totally completely different story. I wanted to assault rather more and play on my phrases.”
Rune did simply that, hitting 39 winners within the two-hour match, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats. The victory improved his document to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence in opposition to Bautista Agut.
At No. 17 within the PIF ATP Rankings, Rune is in search of his first title of the season this week in Montreal. His finest results of 2024 is a runner-up end in Brisbane.
