US Open 2023: Fourth seed Holger Rune exits early following loss to Roberto Carballes Baena

Holger Rune's US Open campaign took an unexpected turn as he was defeated in four sets by Roberto Carballes Baena.

Danish fourth seed Holger Rune's US Open journey came to an end on Tuesday, as he was defeated in four sets by Spanish veteran Roberto Carballes Baena. Rune, who had previously reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals only to be ousted by Carlos Alcaraz, succumbed to Carballes Baena with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a match lasting 2 hours and 42 minutes. Ranked 63rd in the world and known for his expertise on clay courts, Carballes Baena is yet to progress beyond the third round in a Grand Slam tournament. In the upcoming second round, he will face either Russia's Aslan Karatsev or the Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka.

This defeat marks another early exit for 20-year-old Rune, a promising talent in men's tennis. Following his quarter-final loss to Alcaraz at Wimbledon, Rune encountered first-round defeats at the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati Open, and now the US Open.

Notably, Rune had voiced his displeasure with organizers before the tournament, expressing his frustration over being placed on Court No.5 of the USTA's Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for his opening match. Faced with Carballes Baena on Monday, Rune struggled to find his rhythm, committing 43 unforced errors throughout the match.