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Holger Rune played his first match in China, at the ATP 500 in Beijing, beating Felix Auger Aliassime with the result of 6-4 6-4. The No. 5-ranked player was not having a good time, arriving in Asia without a tour-level win since Wimbledon and not competing since late August at the US Open.
Also tormented by physical problems in recent months, the 20-year-old showed off a good performance, knocking out the Canadian at the Olympic Green Tennis Center in Beijing.
Rune explained: “It was a good feeling. I had a difficult time, both physically and with the circumstances of the matches, so I’m happy to be back to feeling good.
I feel mentally good on and off the court. I’m very happy of my level today.”
Rune admits: “I had a difficult time but now I’m fine”
Due to a back injury, Rune also had to miss an event he was initially supposed to participate in, the Laver Cup, where his Europa team lost disastrously against their World team opponents.
The Dane said: “I felt very good. I didn’t feel anything in my body. That’s good. I don’t mind muscle soreness, but I’m too young to have these kinds of problems, so it’s nice to feel good on the court. I feel healthy, I take care of my body and I’m very happy to play without pain and have fun.” In recent months, the Scandinavian player will play some important cards for a place among the best 8 at the ATP Finals scheduled for Turin in November.
Holger is currently eighth in the race, followed by Taylor Fritz, who will try to steal a place from him at the last minute. In this sense, after Beijing, the tournaments in Shanghai and Paris will also be important, where the Dane will have to defend the title.
Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev have already secured a place in the Finals. Our Jannik Sinner, Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost in the first round in Beijing against Nicolas Jarry, are very close to the goal.
