Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2. 

The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour;  Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.

Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.

The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.

Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.

The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.

“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.

“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.

“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.

“I’m so proud of myself.”

Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.

Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from  last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.

“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”

Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.

Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.

Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com

Emma Raducanu has had seven full time coaches since she started her professional career in the summer of 2021

This does not include several interim coaches Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs, Nick Cavaday, and Vlado Platenik

She and her team are apparently in discussions with Mark Petchey, Andy Murray’s former coach, about appointing him full time.

The pair did work together during the Covid pandemic in 2020 at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.

Raducanu’s most impressive run since her shock win in the 2021 US Open came under Petchey’s temporary  renewed influence as she reached her first ever final eight of a WTA 1000 event  in Miami last month.

It was also the most wins she had picked up in a single tournament since her US Open title.

One possible sticking point to a permanent arrangement is that Petchey currently has a role as a commentator for the  Tennis Channel.

Paula Badosa has given herself less than a month to be fit for the Madrid Masters after withdrawing from Miami with a recurring back problem.

The Spaniard who once touched second in the world retired before her fourth-round match in Florida more than a week ago.

She is hoping to be back on court when Madrid begins in three weeks.

The 27-year-old described her injury as “small hernia that has moved from the vertebra, but I’m being treated for the best treatments.

“My goal is to be back in Madrid.”

This year’s Australian Open semi-finalist added: “I’m doing well. I’m trying to take things positively, put things in perspective, and I’m doing fine. 

“Physically? Well, I’ve had every test possible.

“This time I was more scared than I should have been because it was on the opposite side. 

“I’ve always had discomfort on the right side, and now it’s on the left. I was worried it was another stress fracture, but fortunately it isn’t.”

Main photo:- Paula Badosa in Miami action before retiring – by ISF Ltd