According to Holger Rune, there is now only one “Big One” in men’s tennis because Carlos Alcaraz is the only recent player with Grand Slam titles. Rune has mocked notions that a new Big Three is emerging in the sport.
Only Novak Djokovic remains of the original Big Three after Roger Federer announced his retirement last year and Rafael Nadal announced the 2024 season would be his final on the ATP Tour. Many are looking for a new Big Three rivalry because they worry that there will be an empty space in the sport in the upcoming years.
Some people think Rune, Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner will be competitors to replace Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer, but Rune has advised against getting too excited too soon because he believes just one of the three has thus far demonstrated his abilities.
Rune stated these remarks: “I know and I heard people talk about it [but] I think it’s too early to say, only one of us has won Grand Slams and that’s Carlos, but yeah I mean we’re young of course, we have time on our side.”
He further added: “I think the energy he brings to the court is hard to match and he has a big variation to his game, it’s not just one shot, it’s the whole game is able to mix it up a lot when he needs to and make it uncomfortable for the opponent.”
Alcaraz in Toronto, ranking, and results in 2023
Ranked no.1, the Spaniard has managed to achieve a compiled 48-4 match record in 2023. Carlos is participating in Toronto where he bested the world no.41 Ben Shelton 6-3 7-63.
Carlos Alcaraz will square off with the world no.17 Hubert Hurkacz in the 3rd round on Thursday at 7:00 pm on CENTER COURT. Their current record is 1-0
for Alcaraz.The Spaniard has won 6 titles in 2023 in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Wimbledon. The Spaniard got to the final in Rio de Janeiro (Rio Open).
The Spaniard won 12 titles in his career: 3 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play at the U.S. Open (U.S. Open) after Cincinnati. The main draw will start on the 13th of August.
Holger Rune in 2023
Currently ranked no.6 (career-high), Rune played his last match on the 9th of August when he was defeated by world no.70 Marcos Giron 6-2 4-6 6-3 in the 2nd round in Toronto (draw).
This season Holger has a 37-14 win-loss record. This year, Holger lifted the trophy in Munich. Holger was the runner-up in Monte-Carlo and Rome.
Rune will play next in Cincinnati (Western & Southern Open). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 13th of August.
Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune faced off 3 times. Their record is 2-1 for Alcaraz. The last time they played each other, Carlos Alcaraz won 7-6(3) 6-4 6-4 in the quarter in London (Wimbledon) on the 12th of July 2023.
In the video below you can watch the highlights.
Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune |
| Embed from Getty Images |