Holger Rune wins Red Bull Baseline exhibition also featuring Popyrin, Berrettini and Ruud

Holger Rune has sealed a confidence boosting win going into the Australian Open by winning Red Bull Baseline which is an exhibition tournament designed to deliver fast paced fun in a tie-break format.

Rune defeated Casper Ruud in the final match in a tournament which also included Alexei Popyrin, Kei Nishikori, Matteo Berrettini and Fabian Marozsan who all took part after mixed starts to their own 2025 seasons.

There is a best of three tie-break format in the tournament. There are no umpires so players have to sort out their own disputes and to keep the atmosphere going a DJ plays beats during and between points.

Six athletes are in two groups of three and play in a round-robin format. The two group winners play each other in the final and Rune was triumphant and lauded the format afterwards.

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“It was a lot of fun playing this Red Bull event, I enjoyed every moment of it, and I was so excited to start the season like this.” Rune said post-match.

Matteo Berrettini also showed his delight for it. “It’s a cool format, I think it’s a good to mix it up, we always play with the same rules every time.”

Matteo Berrettini and Casper Ruud having fun at Red Bull Baseline.

“I love the fact we are talking to the players within the matches, it’s really cool interacting with the people and music. In the end sport is about having fun, and this is the perfect format to do that.”

As did home Aussie hero Alexei Popyrin. “It was fun to be a part of and I think it brings a good atmosphere and a new crowd to the tennis, and I think that’s important.”

They will all.now move on to the Australian Open next week with another tournament under their belt and something different that still replicates match practice albeit at a different level and speed.

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