Federico Delbonis ended 17-year-old Holger Rune’s dream run at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open on Friday, defeating the junior World No. 1 6-3, 6-3, in 67 minutes to reach the Santiago semi-finals.
The Argentine, a two-time ATP Tour champion, is into the last four at a tour-level event for the first time since Bastad in 2019. Delbonis overwhelmed the Danish teenager with his physical game on the Chilean red clay, using depth and heavy spin to keep Rune from getting comfortable in the match.
The 30-year-old lefty won 83 per cent of his first-serve points and broke his opponent’s serve four times. Delbonis will next play countryman Facundo Bagnis for a spot in the final.
Rune, who did not own an ATP Tour win before this week, was trying to become the youngest player to reach a tour-level semi-final since 17-year-old Alexander Zverev did so in Hamburg in 2014.
Delbonis’ next opponent, Bagnis, beat fourth seed Laslo Djere 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and six minutes. The Argentine is into his second ATP Tour semi-final. Bagnis made the last four at this level for the first time two weeks ago in Cordoba.