The Viking saves two match points versus Dimitrov in all-UTS clash in Monte-Carlo

Holger “The Viking” Rune confirmed his place in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters by beating Grigor “G-Unit” Dimitrov 7-6 (9), 3-6, 7-6 (2) – saving two match points.

At the age of 20 years and 348 days, Rune is the youngest player to make consecutive quarter-finals at the event since Rafael Nadal’s three in a row between 2005 and 2007.

The Viking took his fifth set point in a see-saw first-set tiebreak, 7-6 (9), before G-Unit forced a decider by sealing the second set 6-3.

But Rune clung on, saving a brace of match points in the third to secure his place in the last eight, where he will face Jannik Sinner.

G-Unit had already been in action earlier in the day, facing Miomir Kecmanovic to conclude their rain-interrupted second-round match from Wednesday.

Rune and Dimitrov had met three times previously on tour, most recently in Brisbane at the start of the year, when the Bulgarian won the final 7-6 (5), 6-4.

They have not yet encountered each other on the UTS Tour, where both are former finalists – The Viking at the Grand Final in London in 2023, and G-Unit at Frankfurt 2023.