3:03 p.m
Conclusion and outlook
Even before the ATP Finals, media reports said that Stefanos Tsitsipas had problems with his right elbow. Now the Greek actually has to end his duel with Holger Rune early and will therefore no longer be a semi-final candidate. By giving up his opponent today, Rune has a better chance of progressing in the Green Group. The 20-year-old Becker’s protégé will face Jannik Sinner in the final group game on Thursday, who will in turn duel with Novak Djokovic this evening. Tomorrow it will be exciting again from a German perspective, Zverev will play against Medvedev in the evening. A good day!
14:59
Tsitsipas gives up
This comes out of nowhere! Tsitsipas’ physiotherapist comes onto the pitch and after a short discussion with him, the Greek signals to the referee that he has to give up. Incredible – and of course a speedy recovery to the 25-year-old!
14:56
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 1:2
Rune takes the lead back with an overhead shot and extends it with an ace. The next serve also flies strongly onto the court, Tsitsipas returns too far. After two close service games, the service game is now clearly decided for the first time.
2:55 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 1:1
Inside out, Tsitsipas wants to hit the winner, but narrowly misses the sideline. But he gets the next point in a duel at the net to make it 15:15.
14:53
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 1:1
Rune fends off the cue ball. He is able to free himself from a difficult defensive situation and forces Tsitsipas’ mistake. Once again the game is decided on the debut, in which Tsitsipas quickly ensures the decision with two free points.
14:51
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0:1
The next serve flies violently outwards, Rune comes close to the return and plays it clearly too short. So Tsitsipas can comfortably hit the forehand winner from the net.
2:50 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0:1
Tsitsipas then countered appropriately with an ace and a sleek service winner through the middle.
2:49 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0:1
Things immediately get hot on the fast surface – but not yet in favor of the respective server. Now it’s Rune who scores the first two points through good returns and baseline shots.
2:47 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0:1
Two powerful serves come across as service winners and then ensure the Dane wins the game.
2:46 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0-0
Tsitsipas still copes well with the setback. When Rune serves to the outside, he finds a great angle and puts the return winner into the field. The Greek misses the second breakball with an erroneous backhand return.
2:45 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0-0
Becker’s protégé fends off the first break ball confidently, plays his way to the net and uncompromisingly hits a smash winner into the empty corner.
2:44 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0-0
And by winning the next point, Tsitsipas gets his first chance to break. The Greek heaves a forehand inside onto the hard court, Rune doesn’t get behind it quickly enough and shoots the ball behind the baseline.
2:44 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0-0
It’s not yet time for the rallies. Rune first hits an ace, then a double fault. The first real rally was won by Tsitsipas, who sensed a short stop ball from Runes and chased the passing shot past the Dane with his forehand. 30 both.
2:42 p.m
Stefanos Tsitsipas – Holger Rune 0-0
Here we go, Turin is ready for the first small final of this group stage! After a return error, Tsitsipas raises the first challenge with his backhand, but the serve scratches the line.
2:38 p.m
coin toss
The players have just arrived on Center Court. Tsitsipas wins the coin toss and chooses “Receive”. The Greek has already won the ATP Finals once, on his debut in 2019. Rune is a debutant at the year-end tournament for the top eight.
2:33 p.m
Head to head
The two have met twice so far, both last year. In the final of the ATP250 tournament in Stockholm, Rune won in straight sets and won his second career title. A few months earlier, the Dane had knocked Tsitsipas out of the French Open in the round of 16 at Roland Garros. The Greek wants to win against Rune for the first time today.
14:29
Weak against top players
Neither of them performed well against the world’s best this year – not good conditions for the ATP Finals. After six defeats in a row, Tsitsipas celebrated his first win against a top ten player this year at the Paris Masters against Alexander Zverev. Rune has now been without a win against a top ten player for five games due to his second defeat against Djokovic. Player.
14:26
Hard court form
Holger Rune only had a weak win rate of 55% on hard courts in 2023, but was significantly stronger on clay and grass (80% and 78%). Although Tsitsipas feels most comfortable on clay (77%), he has a better rate than Rune on hard courts (69%).
2:20 p.m
Similar shape
Ultimately, both had a similar shape curve. At ATP500 tournaments, both Tsitsipas (in Vienna against Medvedev) and Rune (in Basel against Auger-Aliassime) ended in the semi-finals. At the Paris Masters, Rune also had to admit defeat to Djokovic in three close sets in the quarter-finals, meaning he now played against the Serb twice in a row. Tsitsipas was eliminated in the semifinals against Dimitrov; the Greek has lost three of the last nine games – three of the last eight.
2:14 p.m
Plus point rune?
Although both players lost their first match, Holger Rune showed himself to be very strong and resilient and demanded everything from Djoker in three close sets (6:7, 7:6, 3:6). The young Dane has been trained by tennis legend Boris Becker for a few weeks and has therefore attracted a certain amount of interest from tennis in Germany. His opponent today, however, lost his first match much more clearly (4:6, 4:6) – and that against a strong Sinner, but of course not as highly as Djokovic.
2:05 p.m
Winning is mandatory
Holger Rune lost in three sets in the first match against title favorite Novak Djokovic, while Stefanos Tsitsipas had no chance against Jannik Sinner in two sets. Now both players are under pressure before the second duel and have to win today to have a realistic chance of progressing. Even with a defeat today, a win in the last game and an extremely favorable outcome in the other matches, reaching the semi-finals would still be possible, but with a lot of ifs and buts.
13:59
Welcome
Have a good lunch and welcome to the group phase of the ATP Finals! Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune, who were defeated in the first match, will face each other in the Green Group from around 2:30 p.m.