Rune Outlasts Halys's 32 Aces in Basel
Holger Rune wins a third-set tiebreak for his first tour-level win since an 11-month layoff with an Achilles injury
Quentin Halys hit 32 aces and pushed the match to a third-set tiebreak. Holger Rune saved three break points in the deciding set and took the tiebreak 7–5 to finish in two hours and 39 minutes.
Basel is only the fourth tour-level event Rune has played since his return. The Dane, a former world No. 4, is now 11–3 in Basel, where he reached the final in 2022 and the semifinals in 2023 and 2024.
Halys came into the week at a career-high No. 45 after winning his first tour title in Kitzbühel in July.
Rune plays Hubert Hurkacz or Zizou Bergs next.
Casper Ruud came from a set down to beat Swiss wild card Dominic Stricker 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 and will meet Nuno Borges. Valentin Vacherot saved four set points in the second set to beat Mariano Navone 6–3, 7–6(4).
Holger Rune beat Quentin Halys 6–4, 6–7(2), 7–6(5) in the first round of the Swiss Indoors Basel for his first tour-level win since an 11-month layoff with an Achilles injury.
Halys hit 32 aces and pushed the match to a third-set tiebreak, but Rune saved three break points in the deciding set and took the tiebreak 7–5 to finish in two hours and 39 minutes.
Basel is only the fourth tour-level event Rune has played since his return.
The Dane, a former world No. 4, is now 11–3 in Basel, where he reached the final in 2022 and the semifinals in 2023 and 2024.
Halys came into the week at a career-high No. 45 after winning his first tour title in Kitzbühel in July.
Rune plays Hubert Hurkacz or Zizou Bergs next.
Elsewhere in Basel, Casper Ruud came from a set down to beat Swiss wild card Dominic Stricker 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 and will meet Nuno Borges. Valentin Vacherot saved four set points in the second set to beat Mariano Navone 6–3, 7–6(4).