Rune bends, but doesn't break!
Holger Rune was very, very scared.
After two slightly reassuring opening matches, he took to the court on Sunday as a huge favorite. Opposed to the returning Kei Nishikori, the duel promised to be a formality.
In the end, it was anything but.
Largely dominated at the start of the match, the Dane had to work hard to get back into the game and find the weapons to destabilize a Japanese player with remarkable court coverage.
Tied at one set apiece (2-6, 6-3), Rune was even more shaky in the final set.
Trailing by a break (5-3), he even fought off a match point before winning four games in a row to clinch a heroic victory (2-6, 6-3, 7-5).
Extremely aggressive, he was almost trapped by one of his opponents, forcing him to do it again and again.
A near-miraculist, he will now face the winner of the match between Fils and Shelton for a place in the final.
