M 1000 ROME.Italy. By Emilio Naftali
World number one bids farewell in the quarterfinals after a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 loss to Danish player Holger Rune.
The defending champion, who was aiming for his seventh crown at the Foro Itálico, couldn’t overcome an inspired Rune, who found the right variations and resilience to hold his ground after the rain delay.
The match was halted when the Danish player was leading 6-2, 4-5, and 0-30. After the resumption, he lost the second set but played an impeccable third set against the world number one.
Rune, a 20-year-old currently ranked number seven in the ATP rankings, is seeking his second title of the year after winning the tournament in Munich. He has amassed five ATP-level trophies in his career and was already a champion at the Paris Bercy Masters 1000 at the end of last year.
