Holger Rune stuns Alcaraz in Barcelona Open upset
Holger Rune defeated Carlos Alcaraz to win the Barcelona Open in Spain on Sunday, downing the world No.2 in straight sets after drawing inspiration from one of the game’s greats.
The Danish tennis player headed into the final of the ATP 500 event as a $4.50 underdog across tennis betting sites, with his opponent on a nine-match winning streak and priced at just $1.20 to win by BetOnline.
But Novak Djokovic’s victory over Alcaraz at the 2024 Paris Olympics was top of Rune’s mind after he fell behind by a break, and the 21-year-old played smart tennis to swing the match in his favour, prevailing 7-6(6), 6-2.
“When I got broken in the first set, I thought to myself that I don’t need to hit every shot on the line,” Rune said.
“So I asked myself: ‘What did Novak do when he beat him?’
“I played it in my mind, the Olympics final, and tried to play that style, making a lot of balls.
“I’m very happy with how I stayed composed when it mattered, and I was really brave.”
The victory solidifies Rune as the new world No.9, with the Dane jumping four spots in the ATP rankings and re-entering the world’s top 10 for the first time in over a year.
Top Tennis bookies have shortened Rune’s odds to win the 2025 French Open off the back of his fifth career title, putting him on the seventh line of betting ($21) ahead of the year’s next Grand Slam.
“It means the world, it was such a great match,” Rune said afterwards.
“In the beginning, I was a little bit stressed, because Carlos obviously plays big-time tennis.
“I had to breathe a lot and find my rhythm.
“After he broke me, I got more into the match and played my tennis.
“The first set was a big battle, it was super important to win it and gain the momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Both Alcaraz and Rune now head across country to Madrid, where they will vie for the Madrid Open title.
Top online bookmakers are yet to release odds for the ATP Masters 1000 tournament which begins later this week, but the pair are expected to be among the top five title contenders.
