PARIS – World number six Holger Rune reached a second successive French Open quarter-final on Monday in a controversial five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo.
The 20-year-old Dane came through 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10/7) after four hours and will face 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud in a repeat of last year's quarter-final.
However, Rune was booed by the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd for hitting the ball on a double bounce in the fourth game of the third set.
His 23rd seeded Argentine opponent stopped playing, expecting the umpire to call the point for him.
Play continued and Cerundolo, who was called for hindrance when he halted, dropped serve.
Cerundolo, playing in the second week of a Slam for the first time, had the crowd on its feet when he hit back to level the match.
In a dramatic decider, Rune survived being 3-4, 0-40 to hold and break.
He served for the match at 5-4 but the 24-year-old from Buenos Aires hit back to level for 5-5 and held for 6-5 before the match went to a knife-edge tiebreak.
Artmotion S.Africa
