2021 Next Gen ATP Finals Group Stage – Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune on and what time does it start? Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune will take place on Tuesday 9th November, 2021 – not before 14:00 (UK)
Where is Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune taking place? Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune will take place at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy
What surface is Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune being played on? Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune will take place on an indoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune
What channel is Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune on? Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune will be televised on the Amazon Prime Video app on smart TVs
Where can I stream Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune live via their platform. Subscribers of Tennis TV can also stream the match live
THE PREDICTION
Man of the moment Carlos Alcaraz looks an almost certain qualifier for next season’s ATP Finals but he makes his debut at the Next Gen Finals in Milan as the solid favourite to lift the trophy. The 18-year-old is already up to a career-high world number 32 after a brilliant run to the quarter-finals of the US Open, the semi-finals of the Vienna Open and the round of 16 at the Paris Masters last week. A capitulation against home favourite Hugo Gaston in Paris in a hostile, partisan atmosphere the teenager will never have experienced before is something to be learned from, not ashamed by, and Alcaraz has clearly displayed the right mentality to deal with such a loss. Alcaraz won his first ATP title at the Umag Open on clay back in July.
18-year-old Holger Rune is up to his career high of world number 109 after winning his fourth Challenger event this season last week, and his first on a hardcourt. The Danish future star has also reached two quarter-finals on tour this season at the Moselle Open on hardcourts and the Santiago Open earlier this year on clay in an excellent all-court breakthrough year but his best achievement yet is taking a set of Novak Djokovic at the US Open in September. Rune won plenty of fans that day and as the second-youngest player in Milan he already has more experience than several other debutantes.
This should be a fascinating first meeting between Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune, who seem destined for a long and brilliant rivalry at the top of the sport in years to come. At this moment in time Alcaraz is by far the most impressive of the Next Gen Finalists and the youngest, all signs for the very biggest of futures. Rune looks set to battle it out with Brandon Nakashima to escape Group A but Alcaraz should get his campaign underway with a win here.
