Rune, the yellow splinter that illuminates Bergamo

Holger rune – Photo by Antonio Milesi

That particular, cheeky yellow cap symbolizes the difference between Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune and the rest of the participants of the FAIP-Perrel Trophy (€ 44,820, Indoor). It is too early to say if he will win the tournament, but it is clear that the Challengers are a simple step on a much broader, ambitious and important path.

The people of Bergamo understood this and invaded the Pala Agnelli to watch his match against Filip Horansky, an honest professional in the category. Rune took to the field a few hours after learning of the qualification for the ATP Next Gen Finals: the loss of Jannik Sinner will allow him to play at the Allianz Cloud in Milan against the best Under 21s on the circuit, including Carlos Alcaraz, who is causing havoc. The news could have a double effect on his performance from Bergamo: on the one hand, it could stimulate him to do well, playing as many games as possible in conditions identical to those he will find in Milan, less than 50km away. On the other hand, however, it might have demotivated him. But the Dane is not yet old enough to calculate: for him, tennis is challenge, fight, fun. He exalts himself in battle. That’s why he got nervous when he risked losing the game and looked for a way out of the quicksand. He found it and won by a score of 5-7 6-4 6-2, giving Bergamo a super quarter-final against Damir Dzumhur. It wasn’t easy: perhaps underestimating the opponent, Rune played experimental tennis during the first set. He never retired, he almost played counterweight and many times he appeared on the net (where he needs to improve a lot). Result: You played in your opponent’s favorite territory. From 5-5 he lost five games in a row and also got nervous with chair umpire Andrea Mangione for an alleged wrong decision. But the champion’s stigmas arose in a time of need: under 7-5 3-0 he began to play carefully. No more experiments, a lot of precision and an overwhelming physical condition allowed him to win five games in a row and reverse the plot of the game. In the third he escaped already in the third game and did not give Horansky any margin. The poor Slovak stayed in the field for two hours without any reference point: until Rune allowed him, he found excellent solutions, then he was overshadowed by the Dane, almost becoming an extra. The tournament, therefore, retains its star and enters the quarterfinals with six of the eight seeds still in the race: only Milojevic and Albot have failed in the appointment. Without offending the other seven, however, the interest is primarily in Holger Rune. The suggestions he brings with him are too dazzling, like that yellow hat that further illuminates his Nordic features.

Second individual round
Dennis Novak (AUT) b. Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) 6-1 2-6 6-1
Cem Ilkel (ENG) b. Radu Albot (MDA) 7-5 6-3
Alex Molcan (SVK) b. Nerman Fatic (BIH) 6-1 6-4
Holger Rune (DAN) b. Filip Horansky (SVK) 5-7 6-4 6-2

Double quarterfinals
Federico Gaio / Francesco Forti (ITA-ITA) b. Duje Ajdukovic / Pavel Kotov (CRO-RUS) 6-7 (6) 7-5 10-6
Zdenek Kolar / Jiri Lehecka (CZE-CZE) b. Romain Arneodo / Sergiy Stakhovsky (MON-UCR) 6-4 2-6 10-6
Lloyd Glasspoll / Harri Heliovaara (GBR-FIN) b. Evgeny Donskoy / Mikhail Kukushkin (RUS-KAZ) 7-6 (2) 6-4
Radu Albot / Artem Sitak (MDA-RUS) b. Damir Dzumhur / Nerman Fatic (BIH-BIH) 6-4 7-5