Holger Rune, the Danish tennis sensation, recently shared how Novak Djokovic inspired his approach during the Barcelona Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. Rune defeated the world number two in straight sets, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, to claim his first ATP 500 title.
Reflecting on his performance, Rune admitted that he drew inspiration from Djokovic’s victory over Alcaraz in the Paris Olympics final. He explained that he studied Djokovic’s tactics and mindset during that match and tried to emulate them in Barcelona. Rune focused on staying composed, playing tactically, and making Alcaraz work hard for every point.
This is what he said:
“When I got broken in the first set, I thought to myself that I don’t need to hit every shot on the line.
So, I told myself, ‘Okay, what did Novak do when he beats him?’ And I kind of played it in my mind — the Olympic final. I was watching it, all of it when they played. Honestly, an amazing match.
And I thought to myself, ‘Okay, let’s try to play that kind of style, really make him play a lot of balls.’ And I am very happy with how I stayed composed when it really mattered and I was also very brave when it mattered.”
The Dane expressed pride in his ability to remain brave and execute his game plan under pressure. His victory marked a significant milestone in his career, ending a two-year title drought and solidifying his position as one of the sport’s rising stars.
Rune’s triumph in Barcelona not only showcased his talent but also highlighted the influence of seasoned players like Djokovic on the next generation of tennis champions. Fans are eager to see how Rune builds on this success in the upcoming tournaments.
Novak Djokovic in 2025
At the moment ranked no.5, the Serbian played his last match on the 9th of April when he lost to world no.31 Alejandro Tabilo 6-3 6-4 in the 2nd round in Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (draw).
Currently, during this season the Serbian has managed to achieve an overall 12-6 match record. Novak Djokovic’s best performance of the present season was getting to the final in Miami.
Holger Rune in 2025
Currently the world no.13, Rune played his last match on the 20th of April when he defeated world no.2 Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(6) 6-2 in the final in Barcelona to win his 5th career title.
Until now, during this year the Dane has achieved a compiled 16-9 record. This year, Rune won 1 title in Barcelona. Rune reached the final in Indian Wells.
Novak Djokovic and Holger Rune clashed against each other 6 times. Their current head to head is 4-2 for Djokovic.
