“Those are exactly the matches that he needs at this stage. Makes it even sweeter when you are able to win them.”
The words of former World No. 21 Gilles Muller, who commentated on Holger Rune’s hard-fought victory over Frenchman Quentin Halys on Monday at the Swiss Indoors Basel.
For Rune, a first ATP-level victory since his comeback from Achilles surgery came at the end of a wild ride. He withstood 32 aces from Halys and emerged with a 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(5) victory in two hours and 40 minutes to improve to 11-3 lifetime in Basel.
Rune reached the final in his Basel debut in 2022, before losing in the final to Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Rune hit 13 aces of his own and saved all five break points he faced to edge the World No. 45. He saved three break points across three different games in the final set and finally secured the victory after Halys rallied from 5-1 down to level at 5-all in the deciding tiebreak.
A Halys double fault at 5-5 opened the door for the Dane, and he converted his only match point with a sparkling half-volley from the forecourt.
A special moment for Rune, 23, who is now 3-2 since his return, counting his two wins at Davis Cup. Rune’s last ATP win came in October of last year at Stockholm, where he originally injured his Achilles.
Ranked No. 1202, the former World No. 4 moves on to face either Hubert Hurkacz or Zizou Bergs next.
Valentin Vacherot, Casper Ruud and Daniel Altmaier also advanced on Day 1 at Basel.
0 comments