The 100% Nordic duel of this Roland Garros 2022 will have turned out to the advantage of the most experienced! After 3:15 of a bitter battle, Casper Ruud managed to get the better of Holger Rune in four sets (6-1, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3). Ruud was the first Norwegian tennis player in history to play in a Grand Slam quarter-final, so he will also be the first to reach the last four. In the next round Porte d’Auteuil, the world number 8 will face Marin Cilic. And this shock is already salivating in advance when you know the two profiles.
Roland-Garros
A favorite on the mat: Tsitsipas sinks, Rune emerges a little more
05/30/2022 At 15:15
At the start of this clash between Scandinavians, Ruud had the psychological advantage over Rune. The reason ? The winner of the Geneva tournament won this year against his Danish neighbor in Monte Carlo, already on clay, in two tight sets (7-5, 7-6). Talented, Rune is nonetheless a rookie at Roland Garros with this first participation in the French Open at only 19 years old.
From then on, Rune seemed taken by the stakes of the meeting from the start, while Ruud sent a masterful tennis (88% of first ball) from the start. Result of the races: Ruud won the first five games of the game before concluding the first set in 35 minutes flat (6-1), dominating Rune in terms of winning forehands (30 against 18).
Ruud too strong to start…
Unplayable for a set and a half, Ruud even recalled Rafael Nadal in his younger hours on certain sequences. That said, his impact from the baseline was gradually countered by numerous successful drop shots from Rune. Eager to shorten the exchanges by showing inventiveness, he multiplied the points won on the fly and came back from a late break to break Ruud at 5-4 in his favor, winning the set at the same time (6 -4).
Relaunched in the game, the Dane showed that he had the makings of a future great. But to pass the stage of a quarter-final in Major, it will be necessary to progress on the ethical level. Not always very fair play, Rune got angry with his box and began to celebrate his opponent’s unforced errors. Broken at 3-3, he immediately reacted to pick up the score. After a tie-break controlled by Ruud and an elongated set (1h07), the more earthy of the two took over (7-6).
… and to conclude
Led two sets to one, Rune gradually entered an unknown zone. Without ever having played more than 3:05 in a professional match, the prodigy appeared more and more blunt when Ruud only reinforced his dominance in the exchanges. Courageous but human, Rune cracked on his fourth break point to defend at 4-3 against him. Then, Ruud did not shake to finish on his face-off (6-3). Disappointed with the outcome of the meeting, Rune addressed an icy handshake to his executioner of the evening, yet irreproachable in terms of fair play. To become a great champion, you will also have to know how to recognize your defeat.
Roland-Garros
Big first for Ruud
05/30/2022 At 1:30 PM
Roland-Garros
The fury was not enough: It’s over for Gaston and the Blues
05/28/2022 At 8:55 PM
