Monte Carlo Masters 2023 Takeaways: Jannik Sinner v Holger Rune lives up to blockbuster potential, final prediction

Sinner v Rune lives up to blockbuster potential The ATP billed it as ‘see the future, today’ and there was more than a sprinkle of anticipation in the Monaco air, as well as the rain, as Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner prepared to face off for just the second time. Ad Much has been made of a burgeoning rivalry between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but you can expect Rune to gate-crash that party with whispers on the circuit suggesting that there is real potential for this young trio – 21, 19 and 19 years old respectively – to emerge as their very own ‘Big Three’.

ATP Monte CarloRune beats Sinner in dramatic match to reach Monte Carlo final against Rublev2 HOURS AGO Of course, they will need to start meeting with more regularity at the business end of elite events over the next few years if they are to live up to that sort of hype, but there’s certainly a buzz about the future after so long where the sport feared what would happen when Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal hung up their racquets. In last year’s Sofia semi-finals, Rune came from a set down to defeat Sinner 5-7 6-4 5-2 as the Italian retired in the decider with an ankle injury, and there was a similarity in the way this last-four clash developed.

Buoyed by a large faction of Italian support, Sinner rampaged out of the blocks, blowing an agitated Rune away 6-1 in the first set. To his credit, Rune responded in bullish style, flipping the match on its head by sweeping into a 3-0 lead in the second set prior to a rain delay both players were hoping to avoid with Sunday’s final in mind.

Sinner hit back from 5-2 down to rekindle hopes of a straight sets win at 5-5 but Rune unlocked the No. 7 seed’s serve once again to break on a fourth set point and take it