"Shorts? The shorter, the better" - Holger Rune & Jannik Sinner hilariously fall prey to Grigor Dimitrov's prank during Shanghai Masters 

Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner became unwitting victims of Grigor Dimitrov's hilarious prank during a promotional shoot for the 2023 Shanghai Masters.

Rune and Sinner were brought in to the media room under the pretense of participating in a shoot for the Shanghai tournament and were asked to play the game "Lost In Translation". In this game, the players were required to listen to a Chinese phrase and then accurately repeat it.

Unbeknownst to them, Grigor Dimitrov was orchestrating the game, and he was the mastermind behind the uproarious phrases that the Dane and the Italian were asked to repeat.

Holger Rune was asked to reiterate the phrase that asserted the superiority of shorter shorts over others. The phrase alluded to the 20-year-old's penchant for donning them.

"Shorts? The shorter, the better," Rune was directed to say.

Upon hearing the former World No. 4 talk about the shorts, Grigor Dimitrov commented on how Rune's legs shine brightly, hilariously suggesting that one could even use them as a mirror.

"Look at those legs. They're shining. You can use them as a mirror," Dimitrov said.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner was prompted to inquire about the whereabouts of a carrot, a nod to his dedicated fan group known as the Carota Boys. These fans wear carrot costumes and travel the world to watch the Italian play.

"Where is my carrot?" Sinner was asked to say.

The Bulgarian was throughly entertained while watching Sinner repeat the phrase and said:

"This is so good! (laughing)."

After discovering the true meaning of the Chinese phrases and learning that Grigor Dimitrov was the mastermind behind the prank, both Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner embraced the situation graciously and with a positive attitude and a sense of humor.

"Grigor helped you. Classic," Sinner said.

Holger Rune still in the hunt for ATP Finals berth despite Shanghai Masters exit

Holger Rune at the 2023 China Open

Holger Rune suffered a shock defeat in his first-round match at the 2023 Shanghai Masters, succumbing to Brandon Nakashima. The American dominated the game, securing a resounding 6-0, 6-2 victory in just over an hour of play.

Rune won only 48% of points on his first serve and even fewer on his return, struggling to find his rhythm on the court. He lost his serve five times, ultimately succumbing to a straight-sets defeat.

The Shanghai Masters marked the 20-year-old's second consecutive early exit. Prior to this tournament, Rune had also bowed out early at the China Open, where he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.

Despite suffering an early defeat at the Shanghai Masters, the Dane will continue to vie for a coveted spot in the ATP Finals. This prestigious event, set to take place in Turin next month, will host the top eight players from the 2023 season.

Holger Rune currently holds the 8th position in the rankings, having accumulated an impressive total of 3,110 points. This places him comfortably ahead of Taylor Fritz, who has 2,930 points. Nevertheless, the dynamic nature of the sport means that the situation could swiftly shift, given the tournaments yet to be played before the final entry list is compiled.

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Jannik Sinner have already secured their spots in the season-ending championships.