Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Washington match.
Holger Rune returns to hard courts following the grass-court swing and begins his campaign in Washington with title ambitions. Since lifting the trophy in Barcelona earlier this spring, his form has gradually stabilised. The Dane arrives in the United States as a high seed and appears motivated, boosted by his collaboration with André Agassi. His first opponent is Alexandre Müller, who had been competing on the Challenger Tour but has now progressed to the second round of the main draw.
Alexandre Müller
Alexandre Müller defeated Beibit Zhukayev in the opening round (6:4, 6:4), though this result should be viewed with caution given the opponent’s poor form. The Frenchman remains a clay-court specialist and struggles to find rhythm on hard courts. Excluding his title in Hong Kong, his record on hard surfaces stands at four wins and five losses. Moreover, in four of his last six hard-court tournaments in 2025, he failed to win more than one match.
Holger Rune
Holger Rune has looked far more assured on American hard courts. Since the beginning of 2024, he has won 11 of his 17 matches on this surface in the United States. His recent highlights include a semi-final appearance in Cincinnati and a run to the final at the Indian Wells Masters. At the start of the season in Indian Wells, he covered the -3.5 games handicap in four of his five victories. Although he has not played on hard courts since Wimbledon, Rune is known for adapting quickly and leveraging his superior quality against lower-tier opponents.
Alexandre Müller vs Holger Rune Prediction
Holger Rune holds a clear advantage over Alexandre Müller in terms of class, pace, and current condition. The Frenchman is likely to struggle from the baseline under Rune's pressure, making the Dane a solid pick with a handicap.
