Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune will play each other at the 2024 Canadian Open, and it promises to be a great match in Montreal.
The young Dane has had an inconsistent season so far, but he has looked very competitive in Montreal so far, with some impressive wins. The Dane first bested Roberto Bautista Agut in three sets, before adding a win over Pablo Carreno Busta as well.
He has looked really comfortable on the courts using his aggressive style to keep the rallies short. The courts play fast in Montreal, which allows players like Rune to assert themselves in rallies.
Zverev will have to be careful with that, even though he is uniquely equipped to deal with it. For much of his career, he played defensively, hanging back and attacking on the counter.
These days, he is playing more aggressively than ever, and it has paid off well. His first match at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Canada was a dominant win over Jordan Thompson, 6-1, 6-1, who was in perfect form going into the match.
Despite that, the German was able to outplay his opponent comfortably, setting up this mouth-watering clash with Rune.
The two have played only two times so far, and each player has won one match. Their match in 2022 at the Monte-Carlo Masters was won by Rune comfortably 6-3 6-2, but the most recent meeting this year at the French Open was won by Zverev in five sets 4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-2.
It was a close match, but the German overcame his opponent in a very tight battle. That matchup did show us that Zverev matches up well with Rune, but only if he's aggressive.
If he allows the Danish player to take over the rallies and push him back from the baseline, Zverev can be in trouble. This will be even more pronounced on a faster hard court like the one in Montreal.
The key to winning for Zverev will be the serve because if he brings his best serving, Rune will have a tough time breaking his opponent's serve. His style of play generally gives players a few chances during a match, and if Zverev doesn't allow any or very few, then there is a very good chance that he will win the match.
| Alexander Zverev | Holger Rune | |
| 1 | H2H | 1 |
| 4 | Rank | 17 |
| 27 | Age | 21 |
| 48-14 | 2024 W/L | 29-15 |
| 442-191 | Career W/L | 123-77 |
Overall, the matchup favors Zverev. He's the more stable player and has generally performed well this year. Even with Rune's good performances here in Montreal, they pale compared to what Zverev did against Thompson.
That was a scary performance by the German, and if he brings that level again, he will win the match comfortably. There is a lack of trust in Rune's ability to hit from the baseline consistently without missing too many balls.
We haven't seen it in a very long time, and until we do, there will be skepticism around it. Zverev is just too solid overall.
Prediction: Alexander Zverev to win in two sets.