Improving with the journey, Rune cuts path to Cincy SFs

Former World No. 4 Holger Rune is within reach of his first ATP Tour final since the first week of the season after blunting the big-serving game of Jack Draper in the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals Saturday night.

Rune converted all three break point chances he earned and refused to surrender his own serve despite coming under sustained attack in the second set before closing out a 6-4, 6-2 victory in one hour, 15 minutes in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Draper.

“I said after the first round that I would need to get better to go deep and here I am playing some very, very good tennis," Rune beamed. "It’s just about the process and I’ve been working hard from the first match.

“The scoreboard was not really how it felt out there,” added Rune, who had not won a match at the Lindner Family Tennis Center before this week. “I had to play some very aggressive tennis because Jack was going after it, especially in the second set. But I managed to stay tough and raise my level as well, so it was a great match from my side.”

The 21-year-old moved up to No. 15 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings with the win as he reached his fourth ATP Masters 1000 semi-final (first on an outdoor hard court).

Rune has won just one title (Munich 2023) in the 20 months since defeating five Top 10 opponents en route to claiming the Rolex Paris Masters in November 2022.

Now coached by fellow Dane Kenneth Carlsen, Rune rallied from a set down to beat both Matteo Berrettini in the opening round and Gael Monfils in the third round.

Rune started well, dropping just six points on serve and winning seven of eight net approaches in the first set. Draper paid the price for making just 48 per cent of first serves in.

He then broke open the match in the first game of the second when he broke Draper after the Briton had held a 40/0 lead.

Draper also was made to pay for missed opportunities on Rune’s serve. He got to deuce in the second and fourth games of the set and then had 0/40 in the sixth game only to see Rune roll off five consecutive points.

Rune hit 11 winners for the match and won 10 of 12 net approaches, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Draper, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round after the Greek served for the match, has risen to a career-high No. 25 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings this week.