Danish Holger Rune stunned World No.1 Novak Djokovic in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, in a thrilling quarter-final under rainy conditions at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia tournament, also known as the Italian Open in Rome.
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20-Year-Old Holger Rune Downs Novak Djokovic
Played in a clay court in Foro Italico, Rune kept his composure as the rain poured. He repeated his feat from November last year when he defeated the Serbian in the Paris Masters final to win the tournament.
The 20-year-old is currently ranked seventh in the world by ATP among men's singles players.
Reflecting on the loss, Djokovic acknowledged the arrival of young talents that could soon become the stars of the sport.
Djokovic mentioned Spanish sensation and World No. 2 Carlo Alcaraz, who also got a win over him last May in the semifinals of his home tournament, the Madrid Open.
"Obviously, a new generation is here already. I mean, Alcaraz is No. 1 in the world from Monday. Obviously he's playing amazing tennis. I think it's also good for our sport that we have new faces, new guys coming up," Djokovic stated.
Meanwhile, the Dane noted the importance of keeping his head level.
"I stay humble of course. I have a lot to achieve," said Rune as he expressed admiration for his opponent, who serves as a huge inspiration for him.
"Huge credit to Novak, I'm a big fan of his. He's a huge inspiration and I wish him all the best."
Rune is waiting for the winner of the Casper Ruud vs. Francisco Cerundolo showdown for the next round.
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