DANISH rising talent Holger Rune has ended the run of local hope and former Top 5 player Kei Nishikori with a come-from-behind three-set win at the Japan Open Tennis Championships. The world number 14 who is still searching for his first title in 2024 and five overall, won 3-6 6-2 7-5 in two hours and 16 minutes.
In an entertaining battle out on the Colosseum, Rune advanced through to the final four serving six aces without a double fault, and winning 71 and 57 per cent of his first serve points. By contrast, Nishikori – who had been unbelievably strong against Jordan Thompson in the quarter finals – was limited to 69 and 52 per cent of his respective service points.
Rune also broke four times to two, the last two of which came at crucial points when down 3-5 in the deciding set. He had to starve off a Nishikori match point and then broke a second time in the set – all while holding serve twice to win the last four games of the match and secure the victory.
“His ball striking and feel on the ball was incredible and it was very challenging for me,” Rune said post-match. “I had to find another gear to be able to beat him and it was almost not enough, but I managed to find that level and find that fighting spirit to beat him.”
It is the sixth time Rune has made the semi-finals of an ATP Tour tournament in 2024, becoming just the fifth player to achieve the feat this year. However of his previous five semi-finals, he has won just one of them, advancing through to the Brisbane final in January, only to lose to Grigor Dimitrov.
Rune will take on Frenchman Arthur Fils in the Japan Open Tennis Championships semi-finals after her upset eighth seed Ben Shelton in the last match of the day. In the other two quarter finals, Frenchman Ugo Humbert advanced after opponent Jack Draper retired with Humbert up 7-5 2-1, while Czech Tomas Machac ended the run of American qualifier Alex Michelsen 7-6 6-3.
AROUND THE WORLD
Three of the four remaining Round of 16 matches in Beijing were completed, with seven quarter finalists now decided in the China Open. Second seed Carlos Alcaraz smashed Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in just 56 minutes, plowing through the 28-year-old for the fourth time in their careers, winning 6-1 6-2.
Meanwhile Russian Karen Khachanov battled past Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo in two tiebreakers, needing to win each 7-4 and then an epic 11-9 to come away with the 7-6 7-6 triumph. Chinese wildcard Yunchaokete Bu caused a boilover in front of his home crowd, upsetting Paris bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets, 6-2 6-4.
The remaining fourth round match to take place is between Andrey Rublev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, with the winner to be on double duty given the quarter finals will all take place later on today as well.
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