Holger Rune’s allegedly unsportsmanlike behavior during his French Open fourth-round match against Francisco Cerundolo has garnered criticism from tennis fans.
Rune started the 2023 French Open on a high note, producing a series of impressive performances. In the first round, he secured a convincing victory over America’s Chris Eubanks. His next opponent was set to be Gael Monfils, but the Frenchman had to withdraw, propelling Rune to the third round.
The Dane then defeated Genaro Alberto Olivieri in straight sets to set up a fourth-round clash with Francisco Cerundolo.
The Round of 16 match was a thriller, with Rune emerging victorious at the end 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(10-7). However, there was a controversial moment in the third set, when Holger Rune hit the ball after a double bounce that the chair umpire missed.
Francisco Cerundolo halted play after witnessing the double bounce, under the assumption he had won the point. But his complaint failed to sway the umpire, who awarded the point to Rune instead.
The incident stirred a wave of discontent among tennis fans, who took to social media to express their rage. One user claimed that if Carlos Alcaraz had been in Holger Rune’s position, he would have acknowledged the double bounce and willingly conceded the point.
“Poor sportsmanship from Rune. If it were Alcaraz, he would have called the double bounce and conceded the point. Still, Cerundolo needs to put it in the past,” the user wrote.
Another user criticized the Dane for his perceived unsportsmanlike behavior, writing:
“TC just replayed the video, It was clearly a double bounce and Rune knew it, Rune out right cheated Cerundolo, But it does not surprise me in the least.”
Another account was left in disbelief by Rune’s actions and posted:
“Unbelievable unsportsmanship (borderline cheating) from Rune. Is that what they teach at the Mouratoglou academy?”
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Holger Rune reveals his best form of recovery during big tournaments
In a press conference at Roland-Garros, Holger Rune expressed his love for sleeping and mentioned that he typically sleeps for 9 to 13 hours if possible.
“Yeah, I sleep a lot. I love to sleep. I probably sleep around, I don’t know, 9 to 13 hours if I can. It’s a lot (laughter). I really like it,” the 20-year-old said.
The Dane believes that sleeping is the best form of recovery, as it allows the muscles and the body to relax. He added that he tries to get sufficient sleep so that when he is awake, he can be fully alert and focused.
“I think it’s the best recovery that you can have. You know, I actually think the muscle relax, everything relaxes when you sleep, so I try to, you know, every time I can sleep. Then when I’m awake I’m fully awake, yeah,” Holger Rune said.
