World No 7 Holger Rune beat a frustrated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 on Wednesday, sending the top seed spinning out in a dramatic rain-interrupted quarterfinal at the Italian Open.
Six-time champion Djokovic was carrying an unspecified injury into the match as he lost for a second time to the rising 20-year-old Dane.
Rune defeated the Serb to win the Masters 1000 at Paris Bercy last November.
The latest contest between the pair was marred by spats with the chair umpire by both players – Djokovic on a time warning and Rune over a second-set line call.
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Play was halted for just over an hour by rain.