“Not even Holger Rune’s training session must be that short”;”They want more money than women?” – Fans react to Dane’s 45-minute loss in BMW Open SF

Holger Rune’s attempt to defend his title at the 2024 BMW Open came to an abrupt end when he suffered a surprising defeat in the semifinals against Jan-Lennard Struff. Seeded No. 2 for the ATP 250 tournament, Rune was bested by the No. 4 seed Struff with a resounding score of 6-2, 6-0, in just 45 minutes.

Rune had been dominant in his earlier matches, but Struff delivered an impeccable performance, hitting eight aces and winning 95% of his first serve points while converting five of seven breakpoints. Struff’s victory was particularly noteworthy as he had played two matches on the same day, having previously defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.

Fans expressed their disbelief and disappointment at Rune’s performance, with some humorously suggesting that even his training sessions might last longer than the match. The quick loss sparked discussions about the fairness of prize money distribution, with some questioning whether such an outcome in a women’s semifinal would have led to similar debates.

Despite the lighthearted criticism, there were calls for Rune to focus on his development and not be deterred by the public reaction, while Struff’s remarkable display of skill was widely acknowledged. Rune’s early exit from Munich, combined with his recent quarterfinal loss at the Monte-Carlo Masters, hampers his bid to return to the ATP top 10.