Holger Rune shares Novak Djokovic secret which was key to beating Carlos Alcaraz in Barcelona
Holger Rune has divulged that his stunning win over Carlos Alcaraz in the 2025 Barcelona Open final was inspired by Novak Djokovic.
The Danish star delivered an outstanding performance to upset Alcaraz 7-6(6), 6-2 on Pista Rafa Nadal at the clay-court ATP 500 tournament.
Rune‘s win denied Alcaraz a third title in Barcelona and ended the Spaniard’s nine-match winning streak that included his Monte Carlo Masters title win. He now holds a 2-2 record against Alcaraz.
The 21-year-old’s victory saw him claim his fifth career title and his first since he won the Munich Open two years ago.
His stellar Barcelona run also featured dominant wins over defending champion Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals and Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals.
By winning the 500 event, Rune has climbed four spots in the ATP Rankings from 13th to ninth.
After the final, Rune revealed he had aimed to emulate Djokovic’s iconic display against Alcaraz in last year’s Olympic gold medal match.
“When I got broken in the first set, I thought to myself that I don’t need to hit every shot on the line,” he said in an interview with Tennis TV.
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Everything Carlos Alcaraz said after losing to Holger Rune in Barcelona Open final
“So, I told myself, ‘Okay, what did Novak do when he beats him?’ And I kind of played it in my mind — the [2024] Olympic final. I was watching it, all of it when they played. Honestly, an amazing match.
“And I thought to myself, ‘Okay, let’s try to play that kind of style, really make him play a lot of balls.’ And I am very happy with how I stayed composed when it really mattered and I was also very brave when it mattered.”
Rune added: “It means the world, it was such a great match.
“In the beginning, I was a little bit stressed, because Carlos obviously plays big-time tennis. I had to breathe a lot and find my rhythm.
“After he broke me, I got more into the match and played my tennis. The first set was a big battle, it was super important to win it and gain the momentum. I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune will next compete at the Madrid Open, which will begin on April 23. The world No 9 will aim to win his maiden Masters 1000 title.
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