NITTO ATP FINALS

November 13, 2023

Holger Rune

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/H. Rune

7-6, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Holger, a tough match. Walk us through tonight.

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, was a good match. I thought we both started well on our serve. I managed to break him early. He broke me back. Was pretty even the first set. I think I had chances to go up 3-0 in the second set. I didn't do it. He managed to come back. It was a tight set.

But, yeah, I managed to take the second and make it exciting. Another great battle against Novak.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Every match against Novak seems to be special for you. Always a tough match. Maybe your rivalry is already a classic in tennis. Is it a motivation to have Novak in front of you?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, I mean, we have had great matches always when we played. Yeah, unfortunately I couldn't do it today, but that's how it is. I have to look forward and take the things out of the match I was happy with, take the things out of the match that I wasn't happy with, and go back to the practice tomorrow and try to make them better.

I thought it was a higher level match than in Paris. That I'm glad. The result was pretty similar, I would say, like in Paris. For sure, yeah, it's great. I mean, Novak is, yeah, an amazing player.

Q. Novak in Italian at the end the match in the interview said that playing against you like playing against a mirror because you have very similar styles. The gap between you and him is something physical. In the end he seemed ready for play another hour. You seemed a little bit tired. Do you agree with that or not?

HOLGER RUNE: No. I mean, of course, I take the compliment that he's saying we play similar. I don't think so, but that's my opinion. It's good to be comparing with him. He's one of the greatest that we ever had in the game.

I think physically I felt okay. Of course, I feel it. We played three hours. But I'm sure he also felt it a little bit. I was ready, if I had the chance, from 5-3 to 5-4 to keep going, but that didn't happen.

I think I tried to manage my energy as good as possible during the match, not use too many, like, energy, unnecessary energy, and stay calm and play the tennis that I like to play.

Q. You have a great relationship with your box, with your team. Always very emotional. What did Boris tell you during the match?

HOLGER RUNE: Yeah, I mean, it was great support from my team. I think they help me throughout every period of the match today, which is very nice for the player, that you feel you have the strong support behind you.

It was small key things to stay focused on my serve. My first serve is very important against Novak because if you don't put the first serve, you have a little bit of pressure because he returns so well.

So, yeah, was small things to remind me on my identity of my game, to play on my terms, even though it's difficult against Novak because he try to play on his terms. It was like a battle of which terms there was going to be played on, and he won that battle.

Q. It seemed today that Boris almost wanted to step on the court because he's so close to the court. How does your relationship develop, especially in an event like this where he has so much experience?

HOLGER RUNE: With Boris, you mean?

Q. Yes.

HOLGER RUNE: It's great. It's really good. I mean, of course he's right there. He's been there many, many times himself, which helps. He can give out from his experience, give that to me on how to handle the things on the court, off the court.

Yeah, I mean, we still in the tournament, so let's continue to fight.