Holger Rune had to weather a serving storm to turn his ATP Tour return into a victory. On Monday, the Dane defeated Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(5) in the first round of the indoor hard-court ATP 500 event in Basel.
Halys struck 32 aces, but Rune found a way to close out the contest in two hours and 39 minutes. It was the Dane’s first victory at an ATP Tour event since his injury, adding extra significance to an opening match decided only in the final points.
Three sets and two tie-breaks
Rune claimed the only set that did not require a tie-break, taking the opener 6-4. Halys responded in the second and controlled the tie-break 7-2, extending a match in which the Frenchman’s serve repeatedly left little margin for error.
The third set also reached 6-6. This time Rune held his nerve, won the breaker 7-5 and completed a contest settled by fine margins. The scoreline captures the difficulty: after two hours and 39 minutes, only two points separated the players in the deciding tie-break.
A new start in Basel
The victory improved Rune’s record in Basel to 11 wins and three losses. More important than that record, however, was returning to the winner’s circle at ATP level after the interruption caused by injury.
The Swiss Indoors Basel runs from 26 October to 1 November at St. Jakobshalle. For Rune, the first round delivered an immediate test of resilience and concentration: surrendering the second set after moving ahead, facing an opponent who produced 32 aces, and still taking control of the final tie-break.
Official Tennis TV highlights capture the match’s defining moments and the intensity of the finish. The video was published by the official channel for the Rune vs. Halys match in Basel in 2026.
