Google News
World no. 7 Holger Rune is through to the Montpellier quarter-final. The young Dane secured his 100th ATP victory after beating Pablo Llamas Ruiz 7-5, 6-2 in an hour and 26 minutes. The better-ranked player performed better behind the first and second serve, facing two break points and getting broken once.
The Spaniard stayed in touch until 5-5 in the first set. He played a loose service game while trying to introduce a tie break and lost the ground after that, losing serve four times from 13 chances offered to the Dane. Holger clinched the opening game of the encounter with a service winner and created a break chance in game two.
Pablo denied it with a crafty volley winner at the net and held with a service winner to level the score at 1-1.
Holger Rune is seeking his first title of the season in Montpellier.
Rune grabbed the third game after an entertaining point and missed a forehand in the next one, keeping Llamas Ruiz on the positive side.
The 20-year-old denied a break point in the fifth game with a service winner and closed the game after many deuces with a serve & volley combo for a 3-2 advantage. Pablo squandered a 40-15 lead in the sixth game and dropped serve after Holger's volley winner at the net.
The Spaniard responded in game seven, creating three break chances and seizing the first with a forced error, pulling the break back and returning to the positive side. They served well in the next four games, with Rune moving 6-5 in front with a hold at love in game 11 after a service winner.
The 12th game saw real drama, with Llamas Ruiz playing against eight set points! He denied seven, giving his best to survive and reach a tie break. However, Rune seized his eighth opportunity after the rival's forehand error, wrapping up the opener in 56 minutes.
Holger held at 30 in the first game of the second set and broke in the second game to extend his streak. The young gun fired a service winner in game three, rattling off five games and moving closer to the finish line.
World no.
7 secured the fifth game with a service winner, moving 4-1 in front and keeping the pressure on the other side. Llamas Ruiz grabbed the sixth game at love, staying within one break deficit. Rune climbed back from 0-30 in the seventh game, winning four straight points and holding for 5-2, forcing his rival to serve to stay in the match.
The Spaniard netted a backhand in the eighth game, facing two match points. Holger seized the second with a winner, moving over the top and reaching the quarter-final.