Teenager Rune dumps Tsitsipas out of French Open

PARIS: Teenage sensation Holger Rune outmuscled World No.4 and last year’s French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Monday to move into the quarter-finals with his biggest Grand Slam win to date.

The Dane, who has improved more than 350 places in the world rankings in the past 15 months, joined fellow 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the last-eight, the first time two teenagers have made that stage at a Grand Slam since 1994.

Fourth seed Tsitsipas broke the Dane to go 3-1 up when Rune’s drop shot was not short enough and the Greek whipped a cross-court winner past him. Rune, however, broke him twice, clinching the opener with a disputed line call that went in his favour.

Tsitsipas did not lose his composure and saved three consecutive break points in the first game of the second set, powering back to seal it.

He did slip up though midway through the third set when two double faults and as many unforced errors handed Rune a key break.

The teenager went 2-1 up in the match when Tsitsipas did well to return a Rune smash but then fired a topspin forehand into the net. Rune had three break points at the start of the fourth set, which the Greek saved, but the teen made amends on his opponent’s next two service game to open up a 5-2 lead.

He did show some nerves in the end as Tsitsipas fought back to 4-5 and even had break points but Rune made sure of his big win on the first match point.

Kudermetova beats Keys to reach last-eight

Veronika Kudermetova reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Madison Keys, ending the chances of four American women reaching the last-eight at the French Open for the first time in two decades. Kudermetova had not been past the third round in singles at any of her previous 12 major tournaments.

RESULTS: Men’s singles: Fourth round:

H Rune bt S Tsitsipas 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; C Ruud bt H Hurkacz 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; K Khachanov lost to Alcaraz 1-6, 4-6, 4-6

Women’s singles: Fourth round:

J Pegula bt I Begu 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; V Kudermetova bt M Keys 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Mixed doubles: Second round:

A Klepac/R Bopanna lost to L Hradecka/G Escobar 6-7(2), 4-6

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