ROME (Reuters) — Novak Djokovic sees a bit of himself in Holger Rune.
The 20-year-old Rune is solid in nearly every area: A great mover and super fit, he’s strong off both his forehand and backhand, has good hands and is an aggressive returner.
Perhaps that’s why Rune has now recorded two victories over Djokovic in little more than six months, beating the 22-time Grand Slam champion 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 Wednesday to reach the Italian Open semifinals.
Rune, who also defeated Djokovic in the Paris Masters final in November, troubled the Serbian star with his rapid court coverage. He made his opponent hit extra balls on points that Djokovic thought he had already finished off.
Djokovic said the consistently damp conditions at Foro Italico this week were challenging for him.
Unlike the win in Paris, which was a breakthrough moment for Rune, this one felt like a confirmation for the Danish player.
The 35-year-old Djokovic didn’t appear at his best physically early on and called for a trainer after holding for a 2-1 lead in the second set. It wasn’t immediately clear what the issue was.
Djokovic recently returned after three weeks off because of a lingering issue with his surgically repaired right elbow. He’s preparing for the French Open, which starts in 11 days.
Rune, meanwhile, is boosting his credentials as a Grand Slam title contender after a solid season on clay that included a runner-up finish in the Monte Carlo Masters, a title in Munich, and now a semifinal spot in his first main-draw appearance in Rome.
Djokovic stormed into a 5-2 lead in the second but Rune battled back, winning a 34-shot rally with a sublime backhand drop shot to set up a late break.
Rune also called for a trainer late in the second set to have his right leg treated. The match was then suspended because of rain with Rune serving to stay in the set at 4-5, 0-30.
After a suspension of more than an hour, Djokovic won two straight points to break Rune’s serve and take the second set. But Rune responded with two service breaks early in the third.
Djokovic committed 35 unforced errors to Rune’s 15, with 22 of those coming on his forehand. Djokovic has won the Italian Open six times, including last year, and failed to reach the final only once in eight previous editions — when he was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the 2018 semifinals.
Nadal, who holds the record of 10 titles in Rome, is not playing as he remains hampered by a nagging hip injury, leaving his status for Roland Garros in question.