Superb Sinner beats Rune to knock Dane out of the ATP Finals and send Djokovic through
The Italian’s first ever win over Rune meant he completed a clean-sweep of his group and ensured that Novak Djokovic qualifies alongside him in second place
Jannik Sinner competes at the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin © Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic
Jannik Sinner put on another scintillating display of tennis in front of rapturous home support, saving a break point serving at 3-4 down in the final set, to defeat Holger Rune 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 and knock the Dane out of the 2023 ATP Finals.
This result means that Novak Djokovic progresses to the semi-finals in second place, alongside group winner Sinner. Rune misses out on a place in his first ATP Finals semi-final by finishing third.
It was Sinner’s first career victory over Rune, improving his head-to-head record against the Dane to two losses and one win. It also means that Sinner goes through to the last four having completed a hugely impressive clean-sweep of his group, beating Tsitsipas, Djokovic and Rune to top the group in some style.
Imperious Sinner dominates first set
It was sheer quality tennis from Sinner from the very first ball. He got off to a lightning-quick start, breaking Rune in the opening game courtesy of a pin-point forehand winner down the line.
After a comfortable hold, Sinner broke again as Rune sent a forehand sailing wide, before holding serve to surge into a 4-0 lead, leaving Rune and his camp looking completely rattled.
The Dane managed to steady the ship with a couple of holds, but Sinner’s serve was impenetrable as he remained utterly dominant to seal the first set in 32 minutes. The Italian committed just three unforced errors in that first stanza, losing only one point behind his second serve and dictating play with his trademark precise, vicious groundstrokes.
Rune rallies in the second
After leaving the court between sets, Rune came out a different player in the second. His serves were hitting the mark and his groundstrokes had an added injection of pace and power.
Sinner fended off a break point in the fourth game, as Rune did in the fifth in what was a much closer contest.
The Dane required a medical time-out at the end of that game, continuing the match with strapping under his right knee, but it did little to hamper his exceptional movement.
The rest of the second set went on serve as opportunities to break proved scarce, particularly for Rune, who was shut out by relentless brilliance on serve from Sinner.
However, a lower back issue towards the end of that middle set left Sinner struggling to generate power off the backhand wing, with the Italian gesturing several times to his team that he was in some discomfort.
This proved a pivotal plot twist in the second set.
Rune hadn’t won a return point against the Italian for over half an hour. That is, until the 12th game when he won three in a row to bring up three set points.
Sinner saved two of them, but could do nothing to stop Rune taking the third as the Dane sealed the second set with a superb lob to leave Sinner scrambling and take the match into a decider.
Sinner edges tight and tense decider
There was a lengthy remonstration between Rune and chair umpire Aurélie Tourte in the third game of the final set after he wanted to challenge his own serve on a point he’d lost, but was deemed to have challenged too late. The Dane requested the video replay, but it was not enough to over-rule the umpire’s original decision.
Rune went on to save the resulting break point with an ace before holding serve.
But it was Sinner who struck the decisive blow six games later, breaking Rune in the ninth game with a stunning backhand volley to convert his sixth break point of the final set.
The Italian duly served out the match in front of his raucous and adoring home fans to cap yet another electric night in Turin.
“For me, it was really important resetting after the good win against Novak,” Sinner said in his post-match interview.
“I’ve never won against him [Rune], so I really tried my best and started off really well. In the second, he served better, he moved better, it was much more even match.
“The third set, it could have gone his way… It was a little bit of a roller-coaster also today, but obviously really, really happy, and happy to be in the semis.”
Momentum behind Sinner as he opts to go all-out for the win
In recent weeks, Sinner has ended all-losing records against Daniil Medvedev, Djokovic and now Rune. There is now no doubt that he is the most in-form player in the world right now.
Given that a loss to Rune would have knocked world No 1 Djokovic out of the tournament, there was speculation that perhaps Sinner might prefer to give his opponent an easy night in the hopes of avoiding a rematch with the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
This was never on Sinner’s mind, however. In front of his home fans, and playing superb tennis, the 22-year-old wanted nothing other than victory – and commendably so.
Sinner is into his first ATP Finals semi-final, and – just as importantly – he’s done it in the right way.
