Holger Rune made a breakthrough run in 2022, winning his first Masters 1000 title and finishing just outside the top-10. Holger claimed his first ATP title in Munich before another impressive run in Paris. The Dane defeated four rivals to advance into his first Major quarter-final, becoming the first player from his country to achieve that in the Open era. Rune came to Roland Garros with two Major matches on his tally. However, a teenager showed full potential in the French capital and won 12 out of 13 sets to advance into the last eight. The 2019 Roland Garros junior champion ousted the last year’s finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in three hours and one minute on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Tsitsipas was not at his best in Paris this year, and he could not pass the young gun, who outplayed him in every segment. Holger claimed five points more than Stefanos and fended off five out of eight break points.
Holger Rune became the first Danish player in a Major quarter-final in the Open era.
Rune grabbed five breaks from 11 opportunities and fired 54 winners and 38 unforced errors to control the pace and emerge at the top. The last year’s finalist took an early lead in the opener with a break in game four following a forehand crosscourt winner. Rune pulled it back in the next one after the rival’s loose forehand and fended off two break chances in game eight to lock the result at 4-4. The Dane fired a forehand crosscourt winner in the 11th game to secure his second break. He held after deuce with a smash winner in the next one to take the opener 7-5 in just under an hour. Stefanos raised his level in the second set and saved three break points at 1-1 in his only troubled service game. The Greek broke in game eight after a backhand error from the youngster and held at love with an ace in the next one to take the set 6-3 and level the overall score.
Rune bounced back in the third set and produced five fine holds without facing deuces or break points. He broke Tsitsipas at love in the sixth game after the opponent’s wayward forehand to open a 4-2 advantage and build momentum. Holger served for the set at 5-3 and took a 20-stroke exchange to wrap it up and move closer to the finish line. The youngster forged a massive 5-2 advantage in the fourth set with breaks in games five and seven, doing everything right and outplaying the better-ranked opponent. Tsitsipas broke at love in game eight to prolong the battle and created three break chances at 4-5. Rune denied them with winners and seized the first match point when Tsitsipas landed a forehand long to seal the deal and advance into the last eight.
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