Denmarks Holger Rune wins Barcelona Open Tennis title

Sharjah 24 – AFP: Denmark’s Holger Rune captured the Barcelona Open (ATP 500) title on Sunday after a commanding 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 win over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 2, in the final.

Career milestone for Rune

This victory marks Rune’s fifth career title and will see him return to the ATP top 10. It’s also his third clay-court title, following previous wins in Munich in 2022 and 2023.

Breaking a losing streak

The win ended Rune’s 13-match losing streak against top-five ranked players, underlining a major breakthrough for the 21-year-old Dane.

Alcaraz falls short in Barcelona

Despite winning the Monte Carlo Masters last week, Alcaraz failed to secure a third Barcelona title, having previously won the event in 2022 and 2023. He missed last year's tournament due to injury.

First clay encounter between young stars

The final marked the first clay meeting between Rune and Alcaraz and their fourth matchup overall. Rune’s win was his second against the Spaniard, with the match lasting 1 hour and 39 minutes.