Rune creates history by becoming first to beat 5 top 10 players to win an ATP title
Holger Rune’s incredible run at the Paris Masters has also made him the first Danish player to break into the ATP Top 10
Holger Rune at the 2022 Rolex Paris Masters
Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic
With his stunning win over 21-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the Paris Masters final on Sunday, Danish teen Holger Rune has become the first player in ATP history to beat five top 10 players to win an ATP title (outside of the ATP Finals).
Rune began the week by beating three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, ranked No 153 in the world, in the first round after saving three match points.
From there on, the 19-year-old defeated world No 10 Hubert Hurkacz, world No 9 Andrey Rublev, world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz and world No 8 Felix Auger-Aliassime – all in straight sets – before coming from a set down to beat world No 7 Djokovic in the final.
After these five wins, Rune also ties fellow 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz for the most top 10 wins in 2022, with both scoring nine wins on that stat. With the Spaniard out of the rest of the season due to injury, Rune could have a chance to go ahead if he does get a chance to play the ATP Finals (currently he is the first reserve).
Rune was 0-1 against the top 10 before this season, but now has improved that star to 9-6 after his run this week, which has also made him the first Danish player to break into the world’s top 10.
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