Holger Rune defeated Alexei Popyrin in the fourth round of the 2023 Italian Open to advance to the quarterfinals.
The young Dane had another difficult match ahead of him after he beat French prodigy Arthur Fils and navigated a difficult clash with Italian Fabio Fognini. In the fourth round, he took on qualifier Alexei Popyrin who enjoyed a very good week at the ATP 1000 event in Rome.
The Australian won already five matches in the Italian capital, stunning Felix Auger-Aliassime along the way. But it was his first meeting with Rune and the Dane once again showed that he can focus when it matters.
In the first set, the world no. 7 did everything necessary to make sure he wins the set. He broke first and served almost perfectly throughout the set. Rune even had three more break points and even though he didn't use his chances, it was enough for him to win the first set 6-4.
But things started to get a bit more interesting in the second set. Both players had plenty of break points, but this time, Rune couldn't use any of his four chances. On the other hand, Popyrin made a good use of a break point in the twelfth game, winning the set 7-5 and taking the match into a decider.
But the 20-year-old returned to a serving masterclass. He never allowed his opponent to think about breaking, while he had six break points himself. Once again, Rune was able to use only one but that was all he needed to win the match 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and secure the quarterfinal spot at the 2023 Italian Open in Rome.
Among the last eight, he will face the most difficult challenge possible at the tournament. The first-seeded Novak Djokovic awaits him in the quarterfinals after he defeated Cameron Norrie earlier on the day.
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