ROME – Sometimes, a rain delay can affect even the greatest of players, like how it seemingly impacted the fightback of a struggling Novak Djokovic at the Italian Open in Rome on Wednesday.

The Serb’s quarter-final clash against Danish youngster Holger Rune was halted towards the end of the second set because of the weather, just when he was on the mend after having issues physically and losing the first 6-2.

When play resumed, the 35-year-old managed to win the second set 6-4 but failed to build on the momentum, when a slow start in the deciding set proved costly as he lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

“It’s really a big win for me,” said Rune, who opened a 4-0 lead in the third set and never looked back.

“Obviously I did it last year in Paris as well, but every match is a huge challenge for me when I play against Novak.

“He’s one of the greatest that’s ever played the game. I knew I had to be at my best and I was today. I’m super proud of myself and I enjoyed every moment out there.”

Djokovic declared after the loss: “A new generation is here already.”

He added: “I mean, (Carlos) Alcaraz is No. 1 in the world from Monday. Obviously, he’s playing amazing tennis.

“I think it’s also good for our sport that we have new guys coming up. It’s normal.

“We’ve been saying this for years, that we can expect it to come, that moment to come when you have (a) kind of shift of generations.

“I’m personally still trying to hang in there with all of them... I still have the hunger to keep going.”

The victory meant that the 20-year-old Dane has now clinched consecutive ATP 1000 wins against Djokovic, following his 2022 Paris Masters final triumph.

“Huge credit to Novak, I’m a big fan of his. He’s a huge inspiration,” added Rune.

“I stay humble of course. I have a lot to achieve... I’m a huge fighter on the court and I leave everything when I play my matches.”

Djokovic was treated by the physio at 2-1 in the second set. The extent of his issue was not immediately known.

He said: “He was just better. He played too good for me for most parts of the match. I did have a bad start of the third set.

“I think that’s where the match kind of shifted to his side. He kept his nerves and deserved to win.”

On Tuesday, Daniil Medvedev clinched his third win of this Italian Open by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), a change in fortunes after failing to win a single match in three previous appearances in Rome.

A surprising good run on his least favourite clay surface has set up a quarter-final clash against another German Yannick Hanfmann, who beat sixth seed Andrey Rublev 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3.

The 27-year-old Medvedev may be confident after his win, but it was not too long ago that he publicly expressed his contempt for the clay, saying that he felt like a “dog in the dirt” on the surface.

This season, however, he has learnt to overcome his weakness and as a result, demonstrate much better form.

Medvedev has been playing impressively in 2023 – his win against Zverev was a tour-leading 36th victory against just five defeats. He has also already won four titles this campaign, all on the hard courts.

Crucially, it was his seventh win on clay this season, against two losses, and he is now at 25-25 overall in his career on the red dirt.

His win will bode well for the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year which runs from May 28 to June 11.

One player who will not be at Roland Garros is Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios, whose withdrawal further delays his return to competitive action following knee surgery at the start of the year.

The 28-year-old had a brilliant second half of 2022, winning a title in Washington in August and reaching the US Open quarter-finals the following month, having contested his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon earlier in the year.

But pain in his knee forced him to withdraw from the Japan Open and he pulled out of his home Grand Slam, the Australian Open, in January to have surgery.

Kyrgios, who is ranked 26th in the world, has not played a competitive event in 2023. He lost to Djokovic in the 2022 Wimbledon final. REUTERS, AFP