Holger Rune’s inconsistent form in 2025 continued on Sunday when he was stunned by Jenson Brooksby at the Japan Open.
After recording impressive victories against Hamad Medjedovic and Ethan Quinn in his opening rounds, Rune looked set to go far in the competition.
The Dane, who was under pressure after a poor Laver Cup campaign, has failed to impress on the ATP Tour since winning the Barcelona Open in April, and missed another opportunity in Japan.
The 22-year-old struggled to find his footing during a 6-3, 6-3 loss against Brooksby in the quarter-finals, revealing after the match that he felt ill.
However, the Dane chose not to retire, explaining his reasoning after the match.
Rune did not want to disappoint his ‘amazing’ fans in Tokyo
Rune must be complimented for his perseverance in seeing out the contest against Brooksby; feeling ill while competing at a high intensity is an unenviable situation to find oneself in.
The Dane sought to explain the reasoning for his perseverance on social media
On Instagram, Rune said: “Today [Sunday] was a tough day on court. I wasn’t feeling very well but I stayed in the match, and did my best, because I didn’t want to disappoint my amazing fans here in Tokyo.
“I enjoy very much coming to Japan. Feeling your culture, the history and the people of Japan are simply amazing, it’s such a positive experience to come back every year.
“Thank you to the Japan Open for another very well organised tournament, and to all my great fans. See you next year.”
Following his exit in Japan, Rune will travel west to compete in the Shanghai Masters.
Who could Holger Rune face in Shanghai?
Rune’s path to Shanghai Masters glory was revealed on Monday.
The Dane is seeded 10th and has subsequently received a bye to the second round, where he awaits either wildcard Zhang Zhizhen or world number 41 Sebastian Baez.
In the third round, Rune could face 21st seed Ugo Humbert, before a match against Taylor Fritz in the fourth round.
If Rune does face Fritz, he will hope to avenge the 6-1, 6-2 loss he suffered against the American at the very same stage of last year’s tournament.
Fritz leads Rune 2-1 in their head-to-head, with their 2024 Shanghai match the last time they faced off on the ATP Tour.
