19-year-old Dane Rune through to Australian Open fourth round, fifth seed Rublev next

The Dane defeated Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (5) to reach the round of 16 for the first time at Melbourne Park

Denmark’s Holger Rune celebrates after winning his third round match at the 2023 Australian Open

Tennis Majors

January 21, 2023

Australian Open •Third round • completed

See draw

U. HumbertvsH. Rune

Denmark’s Holger Rune, the No 9 seed, advanced to the round of 16 of the Australian Open for the first time in his young career with a straight sets win over Frenchman Ugo Humbert.

Rune, who survived a fall on court early in the second set, needed two hours and 10 minutes to beat Humbert 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (5) at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

Behind in the breaker, but on top come the end, @holgerrune2003 claims the third set and with it the match, defeating Ugo Humbert 6-4 6-2 7-6(5)

Has the young Dane impressed you on his run to the fourth round?@wwos • @espn • @Eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/XNXcrjbhbQ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2023

Rune, ranked No 10 in the world, is playing in only his second Australian Open as a pro and lost in the first round in 2022.

The Dane, who won the Paris Masters at the end of the season, is yet to drop a set this tournament, having beaten Serb Filip Krajinovic (6-2, 6-3, 6-4) and American Maxime Cressy (7-5, 6-4, 6-4) in straight sets earlier in the week.

“I wake up super tired every day. I mean, I have a lot of energy as you saw when I play on the court. I think I use it in a very good way now. I think I’m using it on the positive, on the thing that I can actually — that can actually, you know, be good for me like in the shots, get energy there. You know, I mean, I think I manage my emotions very good today because obviously I was a bit afraid after I fell. But, you know, I check with the doctor on the court, and he said everything is — there is not — nothing to worry about right now. So I just keep playing. And, you know, we are in a Grand Slam, so nothing is going to stop me.”

He will meet Russian Andrey Rublev, the No 5 seed, next for a place in his second consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final. Rune had beaten Rublev during his rune to the Paris title in their only meeting on the pro tour so far.

Humbert, ranked No 106, had won over Richard Gasquet (6-3, 6-4, 6-3) and American lucky loser Denis Kudla (6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4) in his first two rounds.

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