Drama with the VAR in Miami. Rune loses and leaves without greeting the chair umpire for this reason

VAR Controversy in Miami: Rune Snubbed Chair Umpire After Heated Dispute

The 2025 Miami Open delivered yet another dramatic moment, this time involving Holger Rune. The Danish star, fresh off his Indian Wells final appearance, was eliminated in his Florida debut by Reilly Opelka in a tight three-set battle (4-6, 6-3, 7-6).

However, Rune’s exit wasn’t just about the scoreline. The world No. 7 made headlines for refusing to shake hands with the chair umpire after the match, all due to a controversial VAR decision in the deciding-set tiebreak.

The Incident: Rune vs. VAR

At 2-1 in the tiebreak, Rune protested that he had been distracted by sudden lights turning on during a rally, leading him to miss Opelka’s backhand winner. He immediately called for a VAR review, believing he had been hindered.

The umpire, after checking the footage, disagreed and awarded the point to Opelka, leveling the score at 2-2. Frustrated by the ruling, Rune stormed off the court without acknowledging the umpire.

A clip of the heated exchange quickly went viral:

Holger Rune, running out of breath, asks for a video review as he claims he was hindered by a light that came on during the rally against Reilly Opelka. Umpire checks the video and decides no hindrance took place. 2-2 in the tiebreak.

This marks yet another controversial moment in Rune’s career, adding to his reputation as one of the tour’s most fiery competitors.