Novak Djokovic vs Holger Rune will take place in the quarter-final of the 2023 Italian Open on May 17.
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Given Novak Djokovic’s consistent dominance at the top and Holger Rune’s impressive performance at the end of the 2022 season, many people predicted that the two would meet several times in early 2023. However, due to various circumstances, this has not yet occurred. After blowing a significant lead against Andrey Rublev in the round of 16, the Danish player lost the chance to face Djokovic in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Djokovic, on the other hand, was eliminated in the round of 16 at the Monte Carlo Masters, the only major tournament where Rune had a deep run this year.
The six-time Rome Masters champion will compete in his 17th quarterfinal match, having reached this stage in each of his previous main-draw appearances. At this point in the tournament, he has an impressive 13 wins and three losses. Back in 2013, he was defeated in the quarterfinals by Tomas Berdych, who was ranked sixth in the world at the time.
At 4-4 in the second set, Holger Rune missed three consecutive breakpoints, forcing him to play an unnecessary three-set match against underdog Alexei Popyrin in the round of 16. This could have an impact on Rune’s performance in his upcoming major match against Novak Djokovic on Wednesday, as fatigue or lingering effects from the previous match could affect his performance.
This year, he has a perfect 4-0 record in quarterfinal matches on the main tour. Notably, he has successfully converted both of his previous Masters quarterfinal appearances into final appearances. He won the tournament after winning the quarterfinals in Paris 2022, and he reached the final in Monte Carlo 2023 but was unable to secure the title.
| Novak Djokovic vs Holger Rune | Match details |
|---|---|
| Date | May 17, 2023 |
| Surface | Clay |
| Tournament | Italian Open |
| Stage | Quarter-final |
| Time (India) | 4:30 pm |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Cameron Norrie | 6-3, 6-4 (W) |
| Grigor Dimitrov | 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 (W) |
| Tomas Etcheverry | 7-6, 6-2 (W) |
| Dusan Lajovic | 6-4, 7-6 (L) |
| Luca Van Assche | 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 (W) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Alexei Popyrin | 4-6, 7-5 4-6 (W) |
| Fabio Fognini | 6-4, 6-2 (W) |
| Arthur Fils | 6-3, 6-3 (W) |
| Alejandro Davidovich Fokina | 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 (L) |
| Alexander Bublik | 1-6, 6-4, 6-7 (W) |
The h2h is 1-1. Both players have struggled for the majority of the 2023 season, making the outcome of their upcoming quarterfinal match highly dependent on who can show their best form. Holger Rune has previously proven to be a difficult opponent for Novak Djokovic on hard surfaces, most notably at the US Open in 2021 (despite his lack of main tour experience and fatigue) and in Paris 2022. It will be fascinating to see how Rune performs in this matchup on his preferred surface.
Novak Djokovic vs Holger Rune will take place in the quarter-final of the 2023 Italian Open on May 17.
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