Holger Rune shocked local favorite Carlos Alcaraz to capture the Barcelona Open title.
Alcaraz, aiming for his third championship in Catalonia and a second consecutive title after last week’s Monte Carlo triumph, required treatment for a suspected groin injury during the second set and ultimately lost 7-6 (6), 6-2.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev celebrated his 28th birthday with a home victory at the BMW Open in Munich, meaning Alcaraz will slip to third in the world rankings behind the German on Monday.
Alcaraz started well, breaking serve in the fifth game, but his fellow 21-year-old Rune responded immediately and took control from that point, eventually converting his fifth set point in the tie-break.
Alcaraz pushed hard at the start of the second set, but Rune held firm. It became evident that something was wrong with the Spaniard when he left the court for a medical time-out.
Alcaraz’s last opportunity slipped away with two missed break points in the sixth game, before Rune sealed his fifth ATP Tour title and reclaimed a spot in the top 10.
“It means everything to me,” the Dane told Sky Sports. “It was an incredible match. At first, I felt a bit tense because Carlos was playing some amazing tennis. I had to focus on staying calm and finding my rhythm.
The first set was a real fight, and winning it was crucial. I’m really proud of how I handled it.”
Rune shared that he reflected on Alcaraz’s loss to Novak Djokovic in last summer’s Olympic final to help shape his game plan.
“I sort of replayed that match in my head,” he said. “I told myself, ‘Let’s try to adopt a similar approach—make him hit a lot of shots.’ I’m really pleased with how I kept my composure in the key moments and showed a lot of courage.”
