Novak Djokovic Gets sweet revenge over Holger Rune, reach semi-finals in Paris

Novak Djokovic who is chasing record-extending 40th ATP Masters 1000 title got the better of Holger Rune to advance the semi-finals at the Paris masters on Friday night.

The 36-year-old who lost in the final to Rune last year, defeated his young opponent and 2022 champion 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 in front of a fully packed crowd in Paris to enter into the last four.

“It was quite a similar match to last year’s final, it was any body’s game in every set.” Djokovic said. “I played an awful tie-break in the second set, probably the worst one this year. But again credit to him for staying mentally tough and playing solid. We have similar games. Move well, defend well and all-round players.”

“He has been playing much better in the past few weeks since working with Boris,” said Djokovic on Rune, who started working with Djokovic’s former coach Boris Becker last month. “It was strange seeing Boris in the opposing box. I wish Holger and him all the best.”

Djokovic, who had previously lost to Rune in Rome this year, leveled his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with the Dane at 2-2 with his two-hour, 54-minute victory. In an attempt to capture a record-breaking seventh Rolex Paris Masters title, Djokovic will take on Andrey Rublev, who overcame Alex de Minaur 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, after trailing early in the match.

The top seed has now won 16 of his last 30 matches after overcoming a three-set scare against Tallon Griekspoor in the third round. With victories at Roland Garros, Cincinnati, and the US Open, the 36-year-old’s only loss came at Wimbledon against Carlos Alcaraz.

In the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, which acts as a gauge in the fight for year-end No. 1, the World No. 1 leads Alcaraz—who was defeated by Roman Safiullin in his Paris debut—by 850 points. In pursuit of an eighth ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone is Djokovic.

While Rune departs from Paris in eighth place in the Pepperstone ATP Live Turin race. Only Alex de Minaur has the chance to pass the Dane in the race for the last Nitto ATP Finals qualifying spot among those ranked lower than him. At the moment, Rune is ahead of the Australian by 720 points.