Monte-Carlo Masters: Rune saves match points and beats Dimitrov to reach last eight
The Dane will face Italian Jannik Sinner, the second seed, in the next round
Holger Rune Monte-Carlo
Image Credit: Norbert Scanella / Panoramic
Denmark’s Holger Rune, the No 7 seed, saved two match points against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, the No 9 seed, and advanced to the last eight of the Monte-Carlo Masters on Thursday evening.
In a thrilling match that lasted three hours and 31 minutes, Rune won the first set in a tiebreak 11-9 on his fifth setpoint after saving one himself.
Dimitrov, a finalist in Miami earlier this month, won the second set 6-3. In the decider, both players held serve throughout. Dimitrov earned two matchpoints in the 12th game on the Rune serve but the Norwegian saved both.
Rune won the final set tiebreak 7-2 to complete the 7-6 (9), 3-6, 7-6 (2) win and set up a quarter-final clash against Italian Jannik Sinner, the second seed. The Dane was quick to remind Sinner that he holds a winning record against him, declaring in his post-match comments:
“Yeah it’s going to be great. He’s for sure the favourite at the moment… I have the winning record 2-1, but let’s see how it’s going to be, if it’s going to be 2-2, or 3-1.”
Both players had completed their rain-delayed second round matches earlier in the day. The 20-year-old Dane defeated Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal (6-3, 3-6, 6-2) earlier while Dimitrov, ranked No 9, won completed his win over Serb Miomir Kecmanovic (6-4, 6-3).
Monte-Carlo Masters 1000, other round of 16 results (Monte-Carlo Country Club, clay, EUR 5,950,575):
- Jannik Sinner beat Jan-Lennard Struff: 6-4, 6-2
- Novak Djokovic (1) beat Lorenzo Musetti: 7-5, 6-3
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (12) beat Alexander Zverev (5): 7-5, 7-6 (3)
- Karen Khachanov (15) beat Daniil Medvedev (4): 6-3, 7-5
- Alex De Minaur (11) beat Alexei Popyrin: 6-3, 6-4
- Lorenzo Sonego vs. Ugo Humbert
- Hubert Hurkacz vs. Casper Ruud
