Danish sensation Holger Rune survived a gruelling five-set battle against China’s Zhang Zhizhen to secure his place in the second round of the Australian Open 2025 here on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old, seeded sixth, triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a three-hour, ten-minute contest at Margaret Court Arena.
The match saw Rune recover from a shaky start, with Zhang putting up a spirited performance backed by a powerful serve and precise groundstrokes. Rune admitted to the difficulty of the encounter, noting Zhang’s strong serve and ability to dictate crucial points.
Rune now prepares to face former world No. 6 Matteo Berrettini, who advanced earlier in the day with a four-set victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie. Reflecting on the upcoming clash, Rune expressed enthusiasm, acknowledging Berrettini’s talent. “Matteo is very talented. Let’s see,” Rune commented.
Berrettini, 28, spoke of his past encounters with Rune, recalling narrow defeats in 2024. “Both matches were really tight,” he said. “This next one, I’m going to try to win it. He’s a great player, and we’ve never played in a Slam, so it’s going to be different.”
The Rune-Berrettini showdown promises to be one of the marquee matchups in the early rounds of the tournament.
