Rune and the keys to beat Sinner: "I have to take the initiative"

With 2-4 and 0-30 down in the fourth set, a good part of the audience at this 2025 Australian Open had already written off Holger Rune. The Danish player was facing a critical situation in his third-round match against Miomir Kecmanovic, on the brink of a painful elimination after a fiercely contested match... but something changed in his attitude and approach to the game, freeing himself and deciding to crush the ball in what would be the start of a spectacular comeback.

Calming the nerves after such a victory is difficult. For Holger, in need of positive feelings in a year that must be one of redemption, these types of triumphs are pure oxygen, a ticket to hope, and a reassuring message to any fan who may have lost faith in him. How to explain such a comeback? Where did he find the strength, with his body on the verge of reaching its limit, to stay in the match? He explains it himself in statements to Ekstrabladet.

"It was a real rollercoaster of a match. Crazy. I suffered a lot physically from the start, but I managed to find a solution when it really mattered. I think I raised my level a lot when I was 2-4 down in the fourth set. I tried to play with what I had: there wasn't much left, but I tried to push myself to my limit, and that's what I did. I turned the match around, and I'm very happy to have achieved it," stated the Danish player. Beyond the attitude and intensity, Holger pointed out a vital tactical change that ultimately led him to victory:

"I had only one chance, and that was to play all the balls I had time to play and make sure the match was played on my terms. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay there and rally fifteen balls from the baseline. In the end, I did it, but it was only in the last game. I pushed myself to my limit even though I felt like I was dying. It was crazy," concluded a Rune who now faces an even tougher challenge, none other than Jannik Sinner.

HOW TO DEFEAT THE WORLD NUMBER ONE?

It seems like an impossible task, but Holger already knows what it's like to beat Jannik, and all their matches have been marked by equality, numerous plot twists, and spectacle. However, this showdown will be different from the rest: the Danish player will need to dedicate a significant amount of time to physical recovery.

"Right now, the most important thing is to receive about 10 hours of treatment on my legs and get a lot of sleep to be ready. I'm relatively optimistic about how I ended the match today. I managed to make the ball run a lot, and that's how I need to play against Sinner to give myself a chance to beat him. I need my legs to respond and play the way I did in the fifth set. I need to be the one in charge because he won't give me anything." Everything is set for one of the best Round of 16 matches, which is expected to take place in the night session on Monday, according to Danish media.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rune y las claves para ganar a Sinner: "Tengo que tomar la iniciativa"