Holger Rune Recovers from Head Injury to Advance in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio – Holger Rune started his journey in the ATP 1000 tournament in Cincinnati with a 7-5, 7-6 victory over Russia’s Roman Safiullin, despite suffering a head injury early in the match.

The Danish tennis star was struck in the face by a powerful serve from Safiullin at the beginning of their match. The Russian player approached Rune to apologize after the incident, but Rune quickly recovered and took control of the match.

As the seventh-seeded player, Rune entered the match as the favorite against the world-ranked No. 80 Safiullin. The two had met twice before, with Rune winning both encounters last year.

Initially, Safiullin demonstrated promise, breaking Rune’s serve to take a 3-2 lead in the first set. However, Rune broke back immediately, tying the score. The set remained competitive, with both players exchanging breaks. Ultimately, Rune capitalized on a set point to win the first set 7-5.

The second set was tightly contested, with both players holding serve until a tiebreak. Rune showcased his skills with a powerful forehand winner at 5-5 in the tiebreak, allowing him to secure the match with a final score of 7-6.

Last year, Rune reached the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open, marking his best result in the tournament. He will next face an opponent yet to be determined from the USA or France in the third round.