By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, May 1, 2022
Nineteen-year-old Holger Rune won his maiden title in Munich after Botic van de Zandschulp was forced to retire up 4-3 in the final.
Photo credit: BMW Open by American Express Facebook
Maiden finalists came together at net realizing ecstasy and agony in Munich.
Nineteen-year-old Holger Rune won his maiden title in Munich after Botic van de Zandschulp was forced to retire up 4-3 in the final.
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Rune made history as the first Danish ATP champion since big-hitting Kenneth Carlsen won Memphis back in 2005.
It wasn't the way the former junior world No. 1 wanted to win his first ATP crown—and certainly not the way the van de Zandschulp wanted to cap his first final—but the abrupt ending doesn't diminish Rune's breakout week.
"This is probably the worst way to win a final," said Rune, the fifth maiden title winner on the ATP Tour this season. "Obviously, expecting a very tough match and he came out very strong and then all of a sudden something happened to him.
"For now, I just wish him all the best, speedy recovery and we all hope to see him back on court soon."
Two days after celebrating his 19th birthday, Rune reigns as the third-youngest Munich champion in the Open Era, hoisted the title without surrendering a set and gave fans who saw his dynamic game a glimpse of a future star.
Spare a thought for van de Zandschulp, who showed creativity and grit knocking off second-seeded Casper Ruud and seventh-seeded Miomir Kechmanovic to reach his first final. The US Open quarterfinalist got off to an ideal start before it all came apart.
Think about what Rune did this week.
The kid sporting the backward baseball cap with the flair for the big strike swept world No. 3 and two-time champion Alexander Zverev on Wednesday for his first Top-10 win, Rune rolled Emil Ruusuvuori 6-0, 6-2 in his birthday bash win on Friday before beating Germany's Oscar Otte in his first semifinal yesterday.
Rune wraps the week taking the title and rising from No. 70 to a career-high rank of No. 44 in the live rankings.
Many fans in the packed crowd were bundled up in winter coats for warmth in a final that began with temperatures in the low 50s.
In a promising start, van de Zandschulp recovered from love-30 down to hold in the opening game, running down a drop shot and poking a pass.
The Dutch No. 1 broke on a forehand error for a 2-0 lead. Rune responded immediately breaking back at love in the third game.
Controlling the center of the court and using his forehand to move the teenager, van de Zandschulp stepped in the court and cranked a forehand down the line breaking again for 3-1.
An ornery Rune rapped his Babolat racquet off the court in frustration after dropping serve then tossed his racquet to the red clay in the next game. Bending low, van de Zandschulp scraped a tricky backhand volley winner confirming the break with the first love hold for the day for 4-1.
In a tense van de Zandschulp service game, chair umpire Fergus Murphy incorrectly called a not up on Rune who ran down a drop shot leaving the teenager wailing in disagreement. Replay showed Rune did in fact get to the ball on the first bounce though it likely wouldn’t have mattered anyway as the Dutchman was there to block a volley winner.
Channeling that anger into energy, Rune ran down another dropper breaking with a clenched fist to ender a near 10-minute game for 3-4.
That game was the beginning of the end for van de Zandschulp, who slammed his racquet down on the ensuing changeover seemingly knowing the severity of his condition.
The Dutchman called for the trainer then left the court for a medical timeout.
After about a 16-minute break, during which Rune tried to stay warm on a chilly day with some light stretching, van de Zandschulp returned to court pacing slowly and looking grim.
Following a three-minute warm-up play resumed with some real questions surrounding the 26-year-old baseliner’s health and condition. Van de Zandschulp played a couple of points before walking methodically to net to shake Rune's hand after 59 minutes.
Rune revved his competitive engine throughout an impressive red-clay run in Munich and remained in the driver's seat afterward happily receiving a new champion's BMW.
“I’m super happy, of course,” Rune said. “As I said, not the way I want it to end, but if I look through the week, what a week. I played some unbelievable tennis, really fighting my way through it.
"To be playing here in Munich and winning my first ATP title in front of such a brilliant crowd, I couldn’t really ask for more.”