Double bounce mistake was umpire’s fault and not mine, says Holger Rune

PARIS – It was the umpire’s fault that a double bounce was not called against Holger Rune during the third set of his fourth-round victory over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo at the French Open on Monday, said the Danish sixth seed.

Rune, who won a tight match in five sets, was 2-1 up and 40-all in the third set when he clearly failed to get to the ball in time. But the second bounce was not picked up by chair umpire Kader Nouni despite being clearly visible.

Rune did not say anything and Cerundolo – who stopped playing, expecting the umpire to call the point for him – was furious with the decision.

“So when I was hitting the ball, I didn’t know, I just ran for it. I saw it after the next point on the TV, and I saw it was a double bounce,” said the 20-year-old Rune.

“But the point already happened and he called the score. So I felt sorry. Sorry for him (Cerundolo). Then I managed to break him. I held serve. Then after he broke me it was close again.”

A fuming Cerundolo, who told the umpire he would get him fined, eventually lost the set. He did battle back to win the fourth, but Rune snatched the quarter-final spot with a 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory.

“Some umpires make mistakes. Some for me, some for him. That’s life,” added Rune, who was booed by the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd for hitting on the double bounce.

Cerundolo, 24, called it a “huge mistake” by the umpire.

“It was unbelievable with the double bounce,” he added.

“The umpire has to check it again. It is tough to give the point away. It was tough moment. He (Rune) was not good not to give me the point but I understand it with the tension.

“They have to do something with the cameras because you cannot do that mistake. For sure I wish he (Rune) would have given it... if he saw it is bad for him. If he didn’t see it and it was after, I understand.”

Rune will next play fourth seed Casper Ruud, 24, in a repeat of the 2022 quarter-final and hoped that it will be remembered for the right reasons this time.

Last season’s match at Roland Garros, which Ruud won in four sets, sparked a war of words between the two.

Rune accused the Norwegian of a “lack of respect”, while Ruud told his opponent to “grow up”.

Ruud holds a 4-1 career head-to-head lead over Rune, but the latter won their last meeting on clay in the Rome semi-finals in May.

“Obviously there was drama last year and I hope we can make less drama this year,” said Rune.

“We played each other in Rome. It was a good match. He’s a good player. I respect him. There’s no problem. We’re good.

“Should be a match without problems, hopefully.” AFP, REUTERS