Holger Rune is through to his first Monte Carlo final, entering the title clash a few weeks before turning 20. Thus, Holger became the second teenager in the clay-court Masters 1000 event after Rafael Nadal, who conquered two titles before his 20th birthday in 2005 and 2006.
Holger beat three rivals to advance into the title clash, his second at the Masters 1000 level after Paris last year. The Dane took down Dominic Thiem in the second round before receiving a walkover from Matteo Berrettini.
Tired Daniil Medvedev stood no chance in the quarter-final clash, and the young Dane arranged the semi-final duel against an in-form Jannik Sinner. They battled for two hours and 46 minutes, and Holger prevailed 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 following the rain delay.
Jannik made a strong start but lost the ground when they returned from a break, struggling to impose his strokes on the slower court. Holger played better in the decisive moments of sets two and three to seal the deal and set the title clash against Andrey Rublev.
The Italian fired 28 service winners and still faced 14 break points. He denied 11, five in the decider before the Dane grabbed the crucial break at 6-5. Holger lost serve three times, settling into a fine rhythm after the opener and beating the opponent and his partisan Italian crowd.
Rafael Nadal and Holger Rune are the only teenagers in the Monte Carlo final.
Jannik made a flying start, serving well and pushing Holger to the limits on the return. Carried by the partisan crowd, Sinner broke in the opener’s fourth game after Rune’s double fault.
Jannik broke again in game six to extend the gap and brought the opener home with a forehand crosscourt winner in the next one for 6-1 in 31 minutes. Rune raised his level in the second set and clinched an early break in the second game before the rain delay.
They left the court and returned 50 minutes later to continue during the night session. The Dane served well and forged a 5-2 advantage. Rune served for the set at 5-3 when Sinner broke at love to prolong the action, giving the crowd something to cheer about.
The Italian defended two set points on his serve in game ten, digging deep and locking the result at 5-5. Holger produced a comfortable hold in game 11 and grabbed a decisive break in the next one after Jannik’s backhand error to secure the set 7-5 and a decider.
The Dane was a better player in the final set, delivering one good hold after another and creating return chances in games four and eight. Jannik worked hard and denied five break points to remain in contention. Rune held at 30 in game 11 for 6-5 and made one last push on the return ahead of the tie break.
Holger came from 30-0 down and created a match point after Jannik’s loose backhand. The Italian netted a routine forehand to lose serve and propel the Dane into his second Masters 1000 title match at 19.
