Holger Rune’s resilience shines in three-set Stockholm victory

There was a point early in Holger Rune’s quarterfinal against Tomas Martin Etcheverry when I wondered if the Dane’s Stockholm campaign might unravel before it ever caught fire.

He looked flat, erratic, and visibly uncomfortable. Both with his timing and, later, his body. But then came the unmistakable surge of intensity that has defined Rune’s game since his breakout two seasons ago.

By the end of Friday’s tense three-setter at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open, Rune had not only steadied his own nerves but turned the match into a showcase of raw, defiant shot-making. The top seed rallied past Etcheverry 6–7, 6–3, 6–4 to book a semifinal spot and keep his push toward the Nitto ATP Finals alive.

What impressed me most wasn’t just the 59 winners that lit up the indoor court — though that number speaks volumes — but the way Rune refused to let circumstance dictate tempo.

After an error-strewn first set that saw him leak 19 unforced errors, he recalibrated without softening his game. The 22-year-old’s baseline aggression stayed intact, but his decisions became more disciplined, his margins tighter. It was a high-wire act, but one he executed with growing conviction as the night wore on.

Then came the scare. Leading 3–0 in the deciding set, Rune suddenly faltered, losing three games in a row and calling a medical timeout to have his left thigh heavily strapped.

The energy inside the arena shifted; Etcheverry sensed an opening. But Rune, grimacing between points, summoned the very qualities that made him a champion here two years ago. Grit, precision, and a flair for the spectacular when it mattered most.

When he sealed the win on his second match point, Rune’s relief was evident.

“Not so good, honestly,” he admitted afterward when asked about his physical condition. “But I’m very happy that I was able to finish the match. I couldn’t have done it without all you great fans. I was really struggling with my left leg, but the energy was very special.”

That candor reflected what we’d all seen. A player walking the fine line between brilliance and breakdown, pushing through the pain because retreat wasn’t an option.

This victory gives Rune a 7–1 career record in Stockholm and secures him a third semifinal appearance of the season. More significantly, it helps him inch closer to the top eight in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin.

Rune’s reward is a Saturday semifinal against fourth seed Ugo Humbert — a player riding his own wave of confidence. The Frenchman battled back from a set down earlier in the day to defeat Lorenzo Sonego 6–7, 6–0, 6–3, extending his superb indoor form to 13 wins from his last 14 matches.