Rune, Sinner Show Grit To Advance At Wimbledon

Sixth-seeded Dane Holger Rune rallied from a break of serve down in the first and third sets to secure a gritty 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena to charge into the Wimbledon third round Friday.

Rune dictated play in the match with 45 winners (double that of his opponent) and 47 unforced errors and steadily improved on serve after winning just three of 12 second-serve points in the opening set.

“It wasn’t easy today; he made it very difficult,” said Rune, who won 33 of 48 net approaches. “He’s the type of player who doesn’t give you anything for free. So I had to finish the points myself and try to play good. He makes a lot balls. I managed to raise my level close to the end and I got unbelievable support from the crowd.”

The 2022 Rolex Paris Masters champion will next meet Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who defeated Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. The 31st seed Davidovich Fokina won his lone Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Rune earlier this year at the Mutua Madrid Open.

The 20-year-old Rune, who saved eight of 11 break points against him, has not dropped a set in advancing to the Wimbledon third round for the first time. In the opening round he defeated British wild card George Loffhagen 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2.

Rune’s deepest runs at the majors have come at Roland Garros, where he has reached the quarter-finals the past two years. During this grass season he reached the semi-finals at Queen’s (l. to De Minaur). Rune is at a career-high No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, with a chance to break into the Top 5 for the first time with a deep run at The All England Club.

In third-round action, Italian Jannik Sinner rallied to beat Quentin Halys 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. After dropping the opening set, the eighth seed lost just three points behind his first serve for the remainder of the match. A quarter-finalist at Wimbledon last year, Sinner won 62 per cent of points behind his second serve, compared to the Frenchman’s 46 per cent.

The 21-year-old Sinner awaits the winner of Daniel Elahi Galan and Mikael Ymer.

Sinner has defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Diego Schwartzman, and Halys to reach the fourth round of a major for the second time this season (Australian Open). 

In 2022, the seven-time tour-level titlist Sinner led Novak Djokovic two-sets-to-love in the Wimbledon quarter-finals before the Serbian mounted a comeback to win in five sets. Djokovic went on to capture his seventh Wimbledon title.

Jannik Sinner advances to the Wimbledon fourth round.” />
^{Jannik Sinner advances to the Wimbledon fourth round. Credit: Michael Regan/Getty Images}