Rune and Ruud Advance to Roland Garros Third Round After Epic Battles

Under the dazzling lights of Paris, Scandinavian duo Holger Rune and Casper Ruud emerged victorious from thrilling five-set battles to advance to the third round of Roland Garros.

Rune, a two-time quarterfinalist, overcame a two-set deficit and rallied from 0-5 down in the fifth-set tiebreaker to defeat Flavio Cobolli. The Italian clay-courter had fought back to force a decider, but Rune's resilience and determination proved too much.

Meanwhile, Ruud, a two-time finalist on the terre battue, avenged his 2021 defeat to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The Spaniard had pushed Ruud to the limit in their previous encounter, but this time the Norwegian prevailed in a grueling four-hour and eight-minute battle.

Both matches were played late due to persistent rain delays. Rune and Cobolli battled on Court 14, while Ruud and Davidovich Fokina took shelter under the Court Suzanne-Lenglen roof.

Rune's victory was particularly impressive, as he had struggled for form in recent tournaments. However, he rediscovered his momentum in Paris, showcasing his trademark aggression and court coverage. He will now face lucky loser Jozef Kovalík, who also staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down.

Ruud, on the other hand, has been in impressive form in 2024. He has reached the final of Monte Carlo and won his first ATP 500 title in Barcelona. His victory over Davidovich Fokina was a testament to his resilience and ability to perform under pressure. He will next face the winner of the match between Tomás Martín Etcheverry and Arthur Rinderknech.

The third round of Roland Garros promises to be filled with more thrilling encounters as the tournament reaches its climax. Rune and Ruud will be among the favorites to reach the latter stages, but they will face stiff competition from a field that includes Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Carlos Alcaraz.

Tags: #RolandGarros, #Tennis, #HolgerRune, #CasperRuud, #FiveSetThrillers