World No. 13 Holger Rune shared his thoughts after defeating Karen Khachanov 6/3, 6/2 in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open.
“It was a great match,” Rune commented in his press conference. “I played with confidence, similar to yesterday, hitting the ball powerfully and disrupting my opponent`s rhythm. Today, I varied the tempo of the rallies, and that proved effective against Karen. I used more passing shots and aimed for different areas of the court to make the game more diverse. I`m extremely happy to have reached the final.”
The Danish player also addressed the fact that this victory guarantees his return to the Top 10 ranking next week.
“This match held significant importance for me. I knew that winning would secure my spot back in the Top 10. This definitely added pressure, but it also served as a strong motivator. In the end, I managed to focus completely on my own game and the strategy I wanted to implement, as those are the only things I can control. I struck the ball confidently on both forehand and backhand, served well, and executed the tactical plan correctly. I feel very satisfied and proud of myself.”
Marcus Prine