Paris: Norwegian fourth seed Casper Ruud beat 20-year-old Dane Holger Rune 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 on Wednesday for the second year in a row to reach the Roland semi-finals -Garros.
The two had met at the same stadium in an ill-tempered match in 2022, with Ruud emerging victorious in four sets before losing in the final to 14-time champion Rafael Nadal.
If this year’s Scandinavian clash lacked vitriol, it was just as gripping even if it seemed one-sided at first.
Sixth-seeded Rune, who beat Ruud at the Italian Open last month, littered the court with 26 unforced errors in the first two sets.
It was all business for Ruud, who faces Alexander Zverev on Friday, and he beat the young Dane in the second game to lead 3-0.
Things got even worse for Rune when two consecutive double faults and a forehand into the net gave Ruud another break to lead 5-1 before sealing the first set a game later.
Rune scored an easy smash into the net to drop his serve in the very first game of the second set.
His opponent was a model of consistency from the start, keeping unforced errors to a minimum and forcing his younger rival to make them instead.
Another easy forehand into the net from Rune gave Ruud a 4-1 lead before moving two sets quickly.
The Dane was not finished yet, however, snatching his very first break early in the third to turn the situation around.
With loud screams and shouts of “go” after each winning point, Rune took the third set, having added considerable power to his base game.
But the Norwegian recovered and took revenge with an early break, winning 4-1. Another double fault from Rune gave his opponent his first match point at 5-2. He missed another before sealing it on his serve with his fifth opportunity.
A resurgent Zverev shrugged off a mid-match wobble to blast his way to a third straight French Open semi-final with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
The German left Roland Garros in agony last year after tearing ankle ligaments in his semi-final against Nadal, but will be hoping for a better result when he faces Ruud on Friday.
“It was the hardest year of my life,” Zverev said of his season-ending injury that required surgery.
“I love tennis with all my heart and it was taken away from me a year ago.
“I’m happy to be back.”
