Rune dumped out as Shevchenko sets up quarter-final with Dimitrov in Rotterdam

Alexander Shevchenko knocked out third seed Holger Rune 6-4 1-6 6-3 at the Rotterdam Open on Thursday.

The 20-year-old has endured a difficult start to the season, losing in the second round at the Australian Open before retiring in the Open de Sud de France semi-finals earlier in February.

His Kazakh opponent, yet to win a title on the ATP Tour, is now through to the quarter-finals in the Netherlands after a determined win.

While Shevchenko sent down six aces compared to Rune’s nine, and won fewer points in the match overall (77 to 70), he was able to break when it mattered in the first and third sets.

Rune had appeared set to come back for a victory when he swept aside his opponent to level but failed to maintain his momentum.

“Best win in my career so far,” Shevchenko said after his win. “I had one against Taylor Fritz, it was that one, but today is probably the best one. It tastes sweeter when I take revenge from the Brisbane match [when he lost to Rune in the Brisbane International in January].”

“I think I was more aggressive against him in the first set,” said Shevchenko. “Then he stepped up his game really well, started to be more aggressive and go more to the net. That kind of tricked me.

“I think in the third set it was quite open. I think I got lucky in a way with the break point, and I think he was maybe a little bit the better player in the third set, but luck was on my side.”

While the No. 3 seed was eliminated, the No. 6 seed, Bulgarian veteran Grigor Dimitrov, progressed to the last eight after beating Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3 7-5.

Dimitrov will face Shevchenko in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Later on Thursday, Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner takes on Gael Monfils, Hubert Hurkacz plays Tallon Griekspoor, and Jan-Lennard Struff faces Emil Ruusuvuori.