Key Takeaways
- Holger Rune became the first Dane to win the Barcelona Open, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
- Rune’s win marked a historic moment in Danish tennis, with Rune becoming the first Danish player to win the tournament in its 72-year history.
- Rune’s victory was a testament to his mental toughness, as he outlasted Alcaraz in the tie-break to take the first set 7-6(6).
Barcelona: Denmark’s Holger Rune won the Barcelona Open tennis tournament on Sunday after a 7-6(6), 6-2 win over local favorite and top-seed Carlos Alcaraz in the final that lasted for an hour and 40 minutes.
Rune’s win makes him the first Danish player to win the tournament in its 72-year history.
The first set lasted almost an hour, with both players effective on their first serve and giving very little away.
With Alcaraz and Rune on the top of their respective games, it was no surprise to see it decided by a tie-break, where Rune held his nerve to take the first set 7-6(6) after Alcaraz had saved four set points.
Sixth-seeded Rune had things much easier in the second set as Alcaraz suffered physical problems in his right leg, needing attention both on court and in the dressing room.
“It’s been a very intense week. We’ve all done a great job to get to this point. It wasn’t possible today, I gave everything I had. I don’t know if more could have been asked of me,” said Alcaraz after the match.
Rune thanked the fans and also had words of gratitude for David Ferrer after the former player announced he was stepping down after six years as tournament director.
