Emotional Holger Rune holds back tears after third straight Masters 1000 final loss

Holger Rune was moved to tears during the Indian Wells trophy ceremony after losing to Jack Draper in the final. The Danish player suffered his third consecutive loss in a Masters 1000 final, following defeats at Monte Carlo and the Rome Open in 2023.

Rune entered the match as the more experienced player, while Draper had never even reached the semifinals of a tournament of this caliber. Nonetheless, the British No. 1 put on an incredible performance, claiming a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win.

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It’s clear that Rune’s disappointment wasn’t just due to the loss but also the way it unfolded. Throughout the match, he never seemed to have a chance to challenge Draper’s game, being overwhelmed by the 23-year-old British player. Draper will rise to No. 7 in the world ranking starting Monday.

Meanwhile, Rune was fighting for his second Masters 1000 title. Since winning the Paris Masters at the age of 18, he has lost 4 out of the 5 finals he’s played – 3 of them at Masters 1000 events.

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The Dane became especially emotional during the trophy ceremony, as he thanked his family. “I have to say thank you to my family back home,” he managed to say before pausing, visibly moved. “They mean everything to me, and yeah… thank you guys, see you next year,” he quickly added to end his speech.

Despite the loss, Rune will rise one spot in the rankings to No. 12 and remains in contention to break into the top 10 in the upcoming weeks. A strong showing in Miami could propel him back into the elite group.

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