Teen re-writes record books with Djokovic upset

2 years ago 90

Holger Rune defeated Novak Djokovic successful the last of the Paris Masters.

Unseeded Danish teen Holger Rune staged a stunning comeback to unafraid the biggest triumph of his vocation by beating Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 successful the last of the Paris Masters.

Rune denied Djokovic a record-extending 39th Masters title.

The 19-year-old Rune, who is simply a person and erstwhile inferior doubles spouse of top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, saved six interruption points erstwhile serving for the match.

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Djokovic saved 1 lucifer constituent erstwhile Rune double-faulted. But the audacious Dane took his accidental connected the next, whipping a forehand into Djokovic's feet that helium could lone volley backmost into the net.

"It means everything to me, a cleanable mode to decorativeness the week," Rune said. "It's a privilege to stock the tribunal with Novak."

Rune, who is the aforesaid property arsenic US Open champion Alcaraz, slid connected his backmost successful disbelief aft winning his archetypal Masters title. He got backmost up and looked adjacent to tears arsenic helium sank his caput successful his hands, past raised some fists successful the aerial to observe a singular week wherever helium bushed 5 apical 10-ranked opponents successful a row. That tally lone came astir aft helium saved 3 lucifer points successful the archetypal circular against three-time large victor Stan Wawrinka.

Djokovic, who missed retired connected a record-extending seventh Paris Masters title, hugged him warmly astatine the net.

"I consciousness exhausted. It was an unthinkable tournament," Rune said. "I person truthful overmuch respect for what (Djokovic) has done," Rune said. "I'm truthful arrogant of myself, it hasn't sunk successful yet. The past crippled was 1 of the astir stressful of my tennis life."

Djokovic looked acceptable to cruise to a 91st vocation title.

The sixth-seeded Serb wrapped up the archetypal acceptable with a emotion clasp connected serve, past had Rune 0-40 down successful the opening work crippled of the 2nd set.

Rune saved 3 interruption points and waved his arms to get the assemblage going. They responded with chants of "Holger, Holger."

Djokovic offered his archetypal interruption constituent astatine 30-40 successful the adjacent crippled and was breached erstwhile helium deed a escaped forehand wide. Rune took power and won the 2nd acceptable with a emotion clasp of his own.

But Rune recovered himself 0-40 down erstwhile again, this clip successful the 4th crippled of the decider. He saved 1 interruption constituent with an ace but double-faulted connected his adjacent service arsenic Djokovic broke for a 3-1 lead, again looking successful command.

The lucifer past turned erstwhile Djokovic missed a regular smash astatine the nett connected crippled constituent for a 4-1 lead, with Rune showing unthinkable reflexes to volley it backmost for a winner.

This fto Rune backmost successful the contention and helium broke backmost with a good cross-court forehand. Djokovic past had immoderate massage attraction connected his near thigh astatine the changeover and began to get agitated, remonstrating with his team.

A tired-looking Djokovic chopped a backhand agelong successful the 11th crippled to way 30-40, and Rune broke him again to service for the lucifer astatine 6-5.

It wasn't over. Rarely is with Djokovic.

He drew connected his acquisition arsenic a 21-time expansive slam singles champion to unit Rune successful a 12th crippled lasting astir 20 minutes, but Rune held his nervus for his 3rd rubric of the twelvemonth and of his blossoming career.

Rune volition participate the apical 10 connected Monday, wherever helium joins Alcaraz who is the youngest antheral to pb the ATP rankings since they began successful 1973.

"I'm feeling beauteous to beryllium honest, it's the champion feeling," Rune said. "If you told maine 4 weeks ago, I would beryllium apical 10 … I would beryllium like, 'What, sorry?' Now I'm here, and I'm ace proud."

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