Rune Bests Cerundolo In 5-set Thriller To Set Up Scandinavian Clash With Ruud

| by Balasz Virag

Holger Rune was able to overcome quite a bit of adversity in this dramatic clash against Francisco Cerundolo winning in 5 sets.

Resident 9-13 hours sleeper Holger Rune is once again through to the Roland Garros quarter-final after a superb finish to a very good 4-hour battle against Cerundolo. He showed some champion-like nerves of steel to wiggle out of a very tricky situation and win the match.

Much like this match in general, the first set was also quite dramatic. Holger Rune took an early lead as Cerundolo struggled to keep the ball in play which is pretty much how much of his matches start. Once he finally found the right calibration, Cerundolo made it quite interesting forcing a tiebreak which Rune ultimately survived emerging as a winner.

The second set saw Cerundolo use some good momentum from the second set to take it 6-3 behind some really solid play. Rune wasn't playing his best tennis, at least not most of the time. He was quite up and down for much of this set and that was what ultimately cost him overall.

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The 3rd set saw controversy happen. Two big mistakes by the umpire awarded Rune a crucial break which cut the momentum of Cerundolo at that time. The Argentine did come back and made it interesting but the bigger implication was that his momentum which e carried over from the second set was utterly destroyed by that incredible mistake.

Rune won that set 6-4 but then completely tanked the next after losing his serve early. Cerundolo smashed him comfortably 6-1 to set up a very close and competitive final set. The biggest game of that set was at 4-3 for Cerundolo which saw Rune come back from a 0-40 deficit to hold and make it 4-4. He then broke Cerundolo and position himself in a great spot to finish off the match.

He didn't as we went into the match tiebreak where Rune once again managed to win a really close and tight one. His 48-winner effort will see him battle Casper Ruud for a rematch of last year's quarter-final which Ruud won.

WATCH: 'I Wanna Be Sure You'll Be Fined': Massive Umpire Mistake Angers Cerundolo
WATCH: 'I Wanna Be Sure You'll Be Fined': Massive Umpire Mistake Angers Cerundolo

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