Novak Djokovic faced Danish player Holger Rune in the quarter-finals of the Bercy tournament on Friday, November 3rd. Djokovic was not necessarily eager to play against Rune, not because he feared the 20-year-old Danish player who defeated him in the 2022 edition of the Paris tournament, but because of Rune’s entourage in the stands. Among them was Boris Becker, Djokovic’s former coach from 2014 to 2016, who recently arrived to support Rune after serving time in prison. Becker spent eight months behind bars from April to December 2022 for concealing $3.1 million in assets and loans in order to avoid paying his debts, which were estimated at nearly €60 million in 2017.
Djokovic had expressed his discomfort with having Becker in the opposing box if he were to play against Rune. However, on Friday, Djokovic exacted his revenge on Rune, winning in three sets (7-5, 6-7, 6-4) without showing any signs of nervousness, except for one outburst at the referee Renaud Lichtenstein. Djokovic complained that Lichtenstein allowed Rune to challenge a ball too late, which would have given him two match points. Despite this incident, Djokovic ultimately prevailed.
Throughout the match, Rune tried to apply the same strategy that worked for him last year when he won the tournament, incorporating risky shots and varied game patterns. However, it was not enough to overcome his illustrious opponent, who had regained his form since the previous day.
Djokovic had a tough match on Thursday against Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, where he had to fight for three sets (4-6, 7-6, 6-4) to come out on top. He attributed his weakened performance to an intestinal virus, jokingly saying that it was difficult to have a clear mind when spending more time in the bathroom than on the court in the past three days. Despite his less than optimal condition, Djokovic’s dominance prevailed, as he usually manages to overcome three-quarters of his opponents even when he is at 20% of his capabilities.
Note: This article is reserved for subscribers, with 40% of the content remaining unread.
