Rune’s Fierce Rally Ignites Stockholm Run
Holger Rune turned a shaky start and a throbbing thigh into a triumphant charge, blasting 59 winners to reach the semifinals at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open and fuel his bid for a Nitto ATP Finals return.
Holger Rune delivered a masterclass in high-risk, high-reward tennis on Friday at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open, where he stormed back into the semi-finals in Stockholm. The top seed and 2022 champion overshadowed his error-strewn start—and a late injury scare—with a scintillating finish to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4 at the indoor hard-court ATP 250 event. Despite tallying 19 unforced errors in the first set alone, the Dane blasted his way to his third semi-final of the season, his aggressive patterns thriving on the surface’s speed.
Shaking off opening volatility
Rune’s opener unraveled under Etcheverry’s patient baseline pressure, with rushed one–two combinations sailing long and crosscourt rallies dragging him into discomfort. The Argentine’s deep returns kept points steady, forcing the Dane into 19 unforced errors that handed the tiebreak. Yet Rune reset with slice to vary the pace, tightening his inside-out forehands to level the match in the second set, where his down-the-line backhands began piercing the defense and shifting the arena’s energy.
His backhand winners landed with precision, exploiting the indoor hard’s low bounce to disrupt Etcheverry‘s rhythm and convert key break points. The crowd’s growing roar under the lights amplified his focus, turning frustration into momentum as he silenced doubts with a set-point finish that echoed his 2022 triumph here.
“Not so good, honestly,” Rune said when asked how he was. “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.”
Holger hangs tough @bnppnordicopen | #bnppnordicopen | @holgerrune2003 pic.twitter.com/EcIR7oXVtA
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 17, 2025
Injury forces tactical grit
From a 3-0 lead in the decider, Rune faltered, dropping three straight games before calling for a medical timeout to tape his left thigh heavily. The hush over the Stockholm crowd spoke to their concern, but he emerged with renewed fire, shortening points via serve-volley rushes and underspin approaches to limit movement. Etcheverry hung tough with grinding returns, yet the Dane’s crosscourt forehands carried extra venom, outmuscling the patient style and denying the Argentine his first hard-court semi-final.
This resilience, honed through a season of physical tests, saw Rune’s winners surge to 59 overall, his inside-in lasers proving decisive on the predictable surface. The 22-year-old now boasts a 7-1 record at the event, a testament to how these courts suit his flat-hitting prowess.
Turin pursuit meets indoor duel
With the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin heating up, this victory strengthens Rune’s push to return to the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time since 2023, where he sits 11th in the standings—though Casper Ruud could reclaim the spot if he beats Sebastian Korda later on Friday. The Dane’s indoor affinity sets up a semi-final clash with fourth seed Ugo Humbert, who rallied past Lorenzo Sonego 6-7(3), 6-0, 6-3 earlier. Humbert’s 13 wins in his past 14 indoor matches, including a Marseille title and Paris Masters 1000 final run, promise a tactical battle, but Rune leads their head-to-head 5-0.
Facing the Frenchman’s lefty serve will test return positioning, yet the Dane’s mix of inside-out returns and crosscourt lobs could exploit any over-eagerness on the quick hard courts. A deep run here could redefine his season, blending recovery with the mental edge to thrive under pressure and reclaim his place among the elite.
