The 21-year-old Frenchman Arthur Cazaux stunned the 8th seed Holger Rune at Margaret Court Arena, advancing into the third round of the Australian Open. Arthur toppled Holger 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and 22 minutes, avenging the 2019 Roland Garros junior loss! Cazaux came to Melbourne with one ATP win and a 0-3 score at Majors. The young gun earned two triumphs at Melbourne Park for a massive boost, moving a win away from cracking the top-100 for the first time. The Frenchman fired 18 aces and dominated with his first serve. He faced only four break points and kept the pressure on the other side. Rune fought well but could not force a decider after losing serve three times from eight chances offered to his opponent. Cazaux fired 51 winners and 30 unforced errors, overshadowing Rune’s decent 48-40 ratio and delivering a rock-solid performance in his career-best triumph. Arthur forged a slim advantage in the shortest and most advanced rallies, keeping his focus and introducing himself to the tennis world.
Holger Rune, Australian Open 2024© Morgan Hancock / Stringer – Getty Images Sport
Two rivals found the A-game behind the initial shot right from the start, offering returners no chances in the opening set. Cazaux held at love for 4-3, and Rune repeated that a few minutes later with a powerful serve. Holger missed a forehand at 30-30 in the 11th game, allowing his rival to bring the game home. Arthur grabbed two early mini-breaks for 3-0 and created three set points with a smash winner. The Dane missed a routine forehand on the second, falling a set behind after 53 minutes. Cazaux saved a break point in the second set and served well in the remaining games. He clinched an early break and forged a massive advantage. Arthur forced Holger’s mistake in the first game, earning a break at 15 and creating two more chances at 2-0. Rune saved break points with winners, holding and remaining within one break deficit. Cazaux fired a powerful serve in the fourth game, denying a break point and holding for 3-1.
Holger Rune experienced an early Australian Open loss.
The lower-ranked player painted a backhand down the line winner in the sixth game, holding at love and remaining in front. Rune reached two deuces in game eight, failing to create a break chance. Arthur brought the tenth game home at 30, opening two sets to love advantage and moving closer to a stunner. Holger faced a break point at the beginning of the third set, defending it with a volley winner. The Dane held at love in the third game and took a medical timeout on his left knee. He kept fighting and landed a volley winner in game seven for 4-3. Cazaux served to stay in the set at 4-5 and missed an easy forehand, offering Rune two set points. The Dane defended nicely on the second and landed a forehand down the line winner, wrapping up the set 6-4 and prolonging the action. Arthur extended the opening game of the fourth set with a forehand winner and secured a break following a cracking forehand crosscourt winner at the net almost from the ground.
Holger saved two more break points in the third game, battling hard but failing to create any chance on the return. Cazaux held after deuce in game six with a crafty volley winner, moving 4-2 in front and closer to the finish line. Holger made one last push at 3-4, cracking a powerful backhand and earning a break chance. He missed a backhand, and Arthur fired an ace for a 5-3 advantage. Rune served to stay in the match in game nine and faced a match point. Cazaux painted a backhand crosscourt winner, wrapping up an incredible performance in style and moving into the third round. The 14th seed Tommy Paul took down the young Briton Jack Draper 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 58 minutes at Kia Arena. The American fired 40 winners and tamed his strokes nicely. Draper grabbed three breaks from five chances. However, he faced 19 break points and gave serve away six times, ending on the losing side despite a solid effort.
Tommy Paul, Australian Open 2024© Daniel Pockett / Stringer – Getty Images Sport
The Briton barely survived the first-round test, vomiting right after finishing the duel but recovering for the Paul clash. Still, Tommy denied three set points at 4-5 in the fourth set and sealed the deal without playing a decider. The American secured three consecutive breaks in the opener and claimed it 6-2. The Briton responded in set number two, serving well and keeping the pressure on the other side. Jack grabbed a break in the fourth game and held at love at 5-3 to level the overall score. Paul took charge in the third set, producing five fine holds and missing three set points on the return at 5-2. Draper prolonged the set before Paul held at 15 at 5-3, taking two sets to one advantage. They traded early breaks in the fourth set and served well until 5-4 for Jack. The Briton squandered three set points on the return in game ten, missing a chance to force a decider. Tommy grabbed a boost and clinched a break in game 11, moving in front and holding at 15 for 7-5 and a place in the third round.
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