By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, April 21, 2025
Picture credit score: Munich BMW Open Fb
Novak Djokovic created a golden second on Roland Garros’ purple clay—and set a gold commonplace Holger Rune adopted to win Barcelona.
A relaxed Rune toppled top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(6), 6-2 in a dynamic Barcelona remaining to seize his fifth profession title.
The 21-year-old Rune adopted a easy tactical script: Play like Djokovic did defeating Alcaraz within the Paris Olympic gold-medal match final August.
“Initially, once I was damaged, I used to be considering, ‘Wow, how can I beat him?’ ” Rune instructed the media in Barcelona. “I instructed myself, ‘OK, what did Novak do when he beat him?’
“I type of performed it again in my thoughts, that Olympic remaining? “I used to be watching all of it once they performed, superb match, and I assumed, ‘OK, let’s attempt to play that type of model, actually make him play a whole lot of balls’.
“I’m actually blissful how I stayed composed when it mattered and I used to be additionally very courageous when it mattered.”
A spirited Djokovic out-dueled Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in an entertaining Olympic final to seize his first gold medal and full the profession Golden Slam in stirring model final summer time.
Thrusting his arms towards the sky, an emotional Djokovic sat in his court-side seat sobbing into his towel after finishing his career-long quest of capturing gold for Serbia with one of the vital passionate performances of his life.
The 37-year-old Serbian celebrity made historical past because the oldest Olympic tennis gold-medal champion since tennis returned to the Video games on the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
The Barcelona remaining tiebreaker was deadlocked 4-all when Rune ripped a Djokovic-esque working forehand go that helped him edge over the road within the breaker.
In fact, few professionals can play with the all-court acumen of Djokovic.
Apparently, Djokovic has stated Rune reminds him of himself.
Djokovic stated the rangy Rune’s stability off each wings, court docket protection and his potential to excel on all surfaces remind him of the person within the mirror.
“[Rune] type of jogs my memory a bit of bit, the best way he performs. Actually match bodily, nice protection, but in addition nice counter-puncher,” Djokovic stated. “He can harm you from each forehand and backhand facet. Actually strong serve. Aggressive returns.
“Simply all-around participant on all surfaces. Significantly on clay I believe he finds himself actually snug taking part in.”
