MONTREAL/STARNBERG, August 7, 2024
On Tuesday evening, Holger Rune secured a spot in the second round of the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal by defeating Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Rune was originally set to face Milos Raonic on Centre Court as the evening’s opening match. However, just 40 minutes before the start, Raonic withdrew due to severe shoulder pain. Bautista Agut, who had been eliminated in the final round of qualifying, was called in as a replacement.
Rune started the match with a strong display, delivering a series of impressive shots that unsettled Bautista Agut. Despite landing only 25% of his first serves in the opening set, Rune was otherwise in commanding control of the match.
However, the Dane struggled to maintain his momentum, and his game slipped as his performance became inconsistent. His slower play and weaker shots resulted in numerous unforced errors, allowing the 37-year-old veteran to claw his way back into the match. Bautista Agut, a former World No. 4 and Paris Masters 1000 champion, showed glimpses of his past prowess.
Despite this lapse, Rune regained his form and demonstrated his exceptional talent, comfortably securing victory in the third set.
Sealed with a LASER 🔥@holgerrune2003 battles past Bautista Agut 6-2 3-6 6-2 to reach round 2 at #OBN24 pic.twitter.com/4NmRKlMRhs
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 7, 2024
“It was a challenge for sure,” Rune said. “It’s never easy coming back after a little break — not the longest break, but for me, I’m very young and luckily I haven’t been injured much. It was difficult but I think I managed to find the rhythm quickly. I didn’t manage to sustain it in the second set. He played good, was feeling free. It was kind of an extra chance that he got to play a match. Happy that I could get through.”
Carreno Busta Survives Intense Match
In the second round, Rune will face another Spaniard, Pablo Carreno Busta. Carreno Busta triumphed over Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in a grueling match. The defending Canadian Open champion needed over two and a half hours (2:37) to emerge victorious, clinching the win with an intense third-set tiebreak, ultimately winning 6-7(8), 7-6(6), 6-3.
Nishikori Set to Face Tsitsipas
Kei Nishikori, who has been striving for victories since 2021, managed to secure a hard-fought 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over US-American Alex Michelsen in his opening round, setting up a match against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
