ATP Tour

Rune 'happy with mindset' in Mpetshi Perricard win, Bergs saves 2 MPs in Shanghai

Holger Rune moved a step closer to his first ATP Masters 1000 title in almost three years on Tuesday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he overcame big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-3.

The Dane, who won his lone Masters 1000 crown in Paris in 2022, had to remain patient against Mpetshi Perricard. Rune won just 27 per cent (17/63) of points on the Frenchman’s serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but earned two crucial breaks in the match to advance to the quarter-finals after two hours and 30 minutes. The five-time tour-level titlist now leads the 32nd seed 2-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

"I managed to break him twice. He was serving very well today," Rune said. "He also showed his level against Fritz, he is a tough player to beat on this surface. The conditions were a bit better to play in today. I am very happy with my mindset today. I stayed in there every point and I was a bit frustrated I lost the second set but I came back and was determined for the third set and managed to hold my nerve."

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Rune’s best result at this level in 2025 came in Indian Wells, where he lost to Jack Draper in the final. Aiming to continue his run this week, the 10th seed will next play Tallon Griekspoor or qualifier Valentin Vacherot.

Rune is 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, currently 945 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who is still alive in Shanghai. Rune would move to 3,290 points with a title showing at the hard-court event. The 22-year-old is aiming to make his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having fallen in the round-robin stage in 2023.

In the first match of the day, Zizou Bergs saved two match points to claw past Canadian Gabriel Diallo 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(8) and reach his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.

The 26-year-old recovered from squandering a 4-1 lead in the decider, saving match points in the third-set tie-break at 6/7 and 7/8 before sealing victory on his third match point after two hours and 49 minutes.

After the match, Bergs was asked whether it was easier to save the match points or convert one of his opportunities.

"Well, probably the saving ones (match points) because it was on his serve," said Bergs. "It's easier to finish a match while serving than trying to save the match while returning. But in the end it's really difficult. He doesn't give me any free points. All the match points I really had to go and look for it. So, in the end, you have to stay calm, but at the same time aggressive. Luckily, I managed to do that."

Bergs is the fifth Belgian man to reach the quarter-finals at a Masters 1000 and the second in Shanghai, joining David Goffin (2016, ‘24). He is up six spots to No. 38 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to rise to a career-high on Monday. Aiming to keep his run going, Bergs will meet Novak Djokovic in the last eight.

"It means a lot and you probably saw it in my reaction," said Bergs, who fell to the ground after reaching the last eight. "It's quite amazing and I feel like my trajectory is a little different, the speed of my path is different. I'm 26 and I'm reaching continuously my career high. I know it's not going to be only ups, and I've had my downs as well this year, but I'm really curious to see where my potential's going to bring me."