Novak Djokovic quieted a biased audience with a 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4 victory against Holger Rune, advancing to the semi-finals and moving closer to his seventh Paris Masters title. Despite facing similar circumstances as in the 2022 final, Djokovic managed to overcome jeers and a tense confrontation with the umpire to narrowly defeat the rising Danish player in yet another intense three-set match in Bercy.
Djokovic’s triumph increased his consecutive victories to 16 and served as revenge for his defeat against Rune in last year’s ATP 1000 tournament.
The initial round was fiercely contested and it wasn’t until the 12th game, at deuce, that a break opportunity arose. However, Djokovic, the top-ranked player in the world, showcased his skill by capitalizing on the chance with a well-executed volley at the net to win the first set.
In the second set, the dynamic changed as both players exchanged early breaks. Djokovic managed to earn a match point at 5-4, but Rune remained composed in front of his new coach, Boris Becker, and held on.
During the second set, there was a dispute between Djokovic and the umpire, Renaud Lichtenstein, regarding a challenge made by Rune. This led to boos from the audience in Paris at the end of the set, as Rune had won the tie-breaker.
The 24-time champion of grand slam tournaments rebounded in a remarkable way and secured an early lead in the third set, going up 3-1. The number one seed then finished with a determined win after two hours and 54 minutes.
Ignore the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
Djokovic imitated the celebratory gesture of Jude Bellingham from England and Real Madrid, extending his arms before scanning the audience at Accor Arena.
Source: theguardian.com
