Quarter finals of the Masters 1000 d Montecarlo: Jannik Sinner against Holger Rune. Follow the live commentary of the match:
Sinner vince!! – The point that brings Sinner 30 to 15 is a forehand missile that kisses the line. A backhand down the line brings it 40 to 30: it’s match point. A good first gives him a hard-fought and precious victory.
Sinner fa il break! 5 a 3 – Sinner wins the opening exchange after almost losing it. Then he moves Rune and pots him with a longline. The Dane responds with yet another perfect short ball. Then a perfect response from Sinner gives two break points. A double fault leads the blue to serve for the set.
4 a 3 – With the help of the public and two good firsts, Sinner manages a delicate game well. He closes it to zero with a winning serve.
3 a 3 – Sinner now seems to be in difficulty: mentally exhausted. Rune holds serve to zero without struggling.
3 a 2 – With a smash Rune earns the second break point of the match. Sinner seems less incisive and more intimidated, but the Dane misses the short ball that would have given him the lead. A free throw gives the Italian a breather, who then holds serve with a good first serve.
2 a 2 – The game begins with a double fault. Then we play point to point. A lob from Sinner deceives, Rune responds with a great shot coming out of the serve and with a forehand into the top corner. An ace brings him back to parity
2 a 1 – Sinner also holds his turn at serve with two consecutive aces. He returns to lead in the third and decisive set.
1 a 1 – Rune, after having made a mess, is now focused and in the game. Sinner manages to reach 40-30, but a short ball brings the Dane equal.
1 a 0 – Sinner is very good at starting the third set by holding serve. Rune helps him with a couple of mistakes.
Rune wins the second set on tie-break – The Dane’s show bears fruit. A slightly more foul Sinner doesn’t take advantage of two match points in a hard-fought and spectacular tie-break. Then there are also the tennis merits of Rune, who with a great forehand canceled out the first match point and then managed to bring home the tie-break 8 to 6. Now the match is uphill: in the third and decisive set Sinner must regain his calm and solidity.
6 all: tie-break – Sinner finds his coolness again with his turn at serve. A great forehand, a silky short ball and a heavy first make it 40-0. He then makes Rune a mistake: he goes to the tie-break which will decide the second set.
5 a 6 – The eleventh game begins with a gratuitous rune, who fears the exchange with Sinner. In fact the blue punishes him with a heavy forehand at 161km/h and goes up 0-30. The Dane gets smart and starts arguing with the audience, impatient with his waste of time. Rune puts on a show, Sinner plays magnificent tennis and gets another three break points. But then he wastes all three, perhaps betrayed by the tension and mind games of his opponent. Another forehand into the net gives Rune the tiebreaker.
5 a 5 – Rune continues to risk a lot: some mistakes are inevitable. However, Sinner is good at staying in rhythm and punishing the Dane as soon as the intensity drops. Without trembling he holds a delicate turn of serve and extends the second set.
4 a 5 – Rune does the good and the bad weather until 30 all. Then he takes over 40 seconds to serve: he scores the point. Sinner protests and places an elusive response that is worth 40 all. Rune, however, responds with a perfect short ball and a great forehand. The match is now tough and spectacular.
4 a 4 – Sinner is unfazed, even when Rune lands great shots. Perfect management of rallies and service held with only one 15 conceded to the opponent. He continues the battle.
3 a 4 – Despite the usual quirks, Rune now plays very well. On his service turn there are more winners and fewer free throws. With a smash he moves forward.
3 a 3 – A great response from Rune puts Sinner in trouble on serve after two games won to zero. At 30 all the blue wins a crazy exchange, attacking and defending until forcing the opponent to make a mistake due to exhaustion. Even without the first, he gets to 3 all.
2 to 3, Sinner doesn’t take advantage of 3 break points – Rune commits two double faults. Then a baseline smash from Sinner gives three break points. However, the Dane cancels them all, especially the last one with a refined short ball. Sinner perhaps thinks about the missed chance, he makes two mistakes. Rune goes up 3 to 2.
2 a 2 – Sinner also tries serve and volley at 40-0. Rune shoots into the net. Another game slips away quickly. Again parity.
1 a 2 – A spectacular exchange in the second 15 is won by Rune, who despite his mental tantrums is playing at very high levels. And the Dane also keeps the serve at zero.
1 a 1 – Another winning serve, a forehand to dust off the line which had evidently looked a little dirty. An increasingly solid Sinner immediately makes it 1 to 1 without granting points to Rune.
Second set – Rune with three consecutive points holds his first innings in the second set.
Sinner played an irreproachable first set: a lot of solidity, the now usual ability to bring out the Better of the repertoire when he is in difficulty or when the opponent also concedes a sola chance. To top it all off, a service that works wonderfully: average speed of the first above 200 km/h. An attitude that is already yielding the first signs of intolerance by Rune. The Dane closed the first set boaster, leaving the court while Sinner was still serving. But now another game begins.
Sinner wins the first set 6-4 – Another first ball above 200 km/h, a forehand almost to the baseline. Rune snorts and sends a forehand into the boards. Then the ace puts the icing on it: an impeccable Sinner wins the first set. While the Dane shows signs of impatience.
5 a 4 – Sinner’s response to Rune’s serve and volley was excellent, as he is trying to raise his game. Immediately afterwards, however, the blue misses another response. The Dane holds serve, but now comes the crucial game that can decide the first set.
5 a 3 – Sinner concedes another double fault, which puts him down 15-30. He makes up for it with a service that looks like a washing machine. Another ace to please at 208 km/h per hour and the fear passes. Rune fires out a straight. 5 to 3 in the first set
4 a 3 – A great backhand down the line, the fifth ace of the match and other feats: Rune plays a perfect game and wins it at zero.
4 a 2 – Sinner also concedes an excellent forehand volley to the net, while Rune is often fouled. The blue confirms the break without worries.
Break di Sinner! 3 a 2 – Sinner is in the game. With a forehand down the line he gains a 15 advantage. Then a great passer and a clumsy mistake by Rune scored the first two break chances for the blue. At the end of a grueling exchange, the Dane lands a backhand: the break arrives for Sinner
2 a 2 – A double fault troubles Sinner who finds himself at 30 all. Rune responds very well and earns the first break point. Canceled with serve and forehand, the best pattern. Another excellent joke and a response on the tape: the blue thus puts the first difficult situation back in order.
2 a 1 – On Rune’s turn at bat it was 30 all again. If the exchange begins, Sinner plays better. The Dane closes the game with a winning serve.
1 a 1 – Sinner starts serving very well. First point won at the net, an ace to close the game to zero. In ease.
1 a 0 Rune – The Dane immediately goes up 30 to zero, then Sinner gets 30 all but after a long exchange he misses a backhand. With an ace Rune holds the serve
The match begins with Rune serving.
The previous – Il number 2 of the world against the number 7, the 22 year old Italian against the 20 year old Dane. The main match on the Ranieri III pitch, the central pitch of the Principality’s Country Club. And the revenge of the semi-final of Monte Carlo 2023, when the winner was Rune, who he remounted after a first set dominated by Sinner. The Scandinavian argued with the public and sent the South Tyrolean into a tailspin, also thanks to the variety of his tennis. Sinner took his first revenge at Atp Finals Of Torino.
What’s up for grabs – With a win today against Rune, Sinner would be certain to stay number 2 in the world. In fact he would confirm the points gained a year ago, rejecting the overtaking of Carlos Alcarazwho withdrew from the tournament (here explanation of how the ATP ranking works). The winner of the match between Sinner and Rune in semi-final will face Stefanos Tsitsipaswho easily beat the Russian in two sets Khachanov.