A Year After Putting Friend and Rival Carlos Alcaraz to the Sword in Paris, Holger Rune Revisits an Unforgettable Duel

Tennis, a sport with very high levels of competitiveness, serves fans with exciting matches on several tours. Under this, rivalries between two opponents, like that of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, have always captured the intrigue of fans with remarkable intensity. On a similar note, a freshly developed on-court rivalry between young tennis icons Holger Rune and Carlos Alcaraz has captivated the attention of fans.

As the Rolex Paris Masters advanced to its round of 64, young Danish tennis star Holger Rune surprised fans as he narrated a tale of intense rivalry between his off-court friend and on-court rival Carlos Alcaraz. The tale, leading back to the Paris Masters last year, developed great intrigue in the minds of the fans, as they expect a similar competition this year as well.

Holger Rune shares his experience as he remembers last year’s Paris Masters match against Carlos Alcaraz

In a recent conversation on the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast, Holger Rune opened up about his thrilling match against his friend and rival, Carlos Alcaraz. He described the excitement he felt before the match last year. He faced off against Carlos in thein the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters, and Alcaraz had just won the US Open back then.

While having a conversation regarding the situation at the Rolex Paris Masters, defending champion Holger Rune opened up about his experience facing Carlos Alcaraz. He mentioned, “Playing Alcaraz in the quarterfinal was great. I was super excited before the match. He just won the US Open before that. That was, you know, admirable. That’s what you work for every day, to be able to play against the best and compete in the best tournament.”

Holger Rune and Carlos Alcaraz, being of the same age, have played against each other many times in their junior careers. Rune also shared, “We are both the same age; we played tons of time in the juniors. Playing world number one is always something special.”

On being asked about his mindset before going into the match, the Danish tennis icon revealed, “I just went out there and kind of took my chance to play freely.” Facing a hard-to-defeat opponent like Alcaraz was a big opportunity for Rune, and he faced it with enthusiasm.

The statement gave total clarity on the fact that Holger Rune embraces the chance to compete against the young force of Alcaraz. Although this wasn’t the first time Rune shared his thoughts on competing with the young Spanish champion.

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Holger Rune shares his thoughts on competing with Alcaraz

The on-court rivalry between Holger Rune and Carlos Alcaraz has been going on for quite some time now. The two talented young tennis stars have been crossing paths since their days of playing as juniors. Looking back to Wimbledon 2023, Rune shared his excitement about their expected showdown in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon 2023.

He said, “To be able to play a quarter-final against a player that is your same age, at the top of the ranking, feels amazing. I’m really looking forward to that match. I even looked at it when I was in the first round.” The statement reflected the intense anticipation and determination both players feel as they prepare to meet every time on the courts. The clash is no doubt expected to be the initial form of a great on-court rivalry, as both players tend to shine bright in their tennis careers.

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