World number one Novak Djokovic will be up against the seventh-ranked Holger Rune in the quarterfinal of the 2023 ATP Rome Open on Wednesday, May 17. Get the predictions and odds of this Novak Djokovic v Holger Rune match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Novak Djokovic v Holger Rune Head to Head
There have been two previous meetings and both players have won one apiece. Djokovic won in the first round of the 2021 US Open and a little over a year after that, Rune defeated the Serb in the final of the Paris Masters.
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Djokovic Beats Norrie (and Accuses Norrie of Unsporting Behaviour)
It was a straightforward win for Djokovic in the end but the world number one was definitely fired up after the victory.
Having been taken to the third set by Grigor Dimitrov in his previous match, Djokovic raced away to a 3-0 lead in the first set this time around. And while he missed out a chance to close out the set at 5-3 on his opponent’s serve, Djokovic clinched it off his fourth set-point.
In the second set, Djokovic was up a break in the third game but was broken right back in the very next game. In doing so, Norrie ended up smashing an overhead volley straight into the body of the world number one, resulting in a deathly stare from Djokovic.
He would go on to earn himself a decisive break in the ninth game and then serve it out in the next.
Djokovic later accused Norrie of unsporting behaviour which wasn’t restricted to that body-hit alone. He pointed out Norrie’s medical timeout and his in-your-face celebration as the two other issues that he had with the British number one too.
Not that it mattered too much in the end but it surely looks to have fired Djokovic up. He now faces an opponent who is a fiery character on court as well.
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Rune Stretched by Popyrin
Rune was a 1/5 favourite coming into his fourth round match against Alexei Popyrin but by the time the encounter had ended it seemed like it could have been anyone’s match.
In a meeting that lasted nearly three hours, Rune survived 11 aces from Popyrin and the loss of the second set to carve out a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win. What was interesting to note was that each of the three sets had just one break of serve apiece, even though Rune had a whopping 15 chances to get past his opponent’s service.
The Danish number one did fritter away four match-points in the final set before clinching the win off his fifth – which was on his own serve.
This followed back to back wins over Arthur Fils and Fabio Fognini in the previous two encounters but now comes his biggest battle on court. Can Rune pull off a second successive win over the world number one?
Djokovic v Rune Prediction and Tip
While Djokovic did lose the last time they played and Rune has grown as a player too, we think the world number one will find a way to get past his opponent on clay. Might not be the easiest win but going for a Djokovic victory.
Tips:
- Low Risk Tip: Djokovic to win: 7/20
- Moderate Risk Tip: Over 21.5 games in the match: 4/5
The 2023 ATP Rome Open will be played from May 9 to 21. You can get all the tennis betting news with our tennis betting blog here. Also get rest of the tennis match previews here.
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