French Open 2023 quarter-final result: Norway’s Casper Ruud beats Denmark’s Holger Rune in all-Scandinavian face-off

Casper Ruud prevails! The 2022 finalist comes out on top in the battle of the Scandinavians to repeat his last-eight win over Rune last year and set up a semi-final showdown with Alexander Zverev.

Ruud raced out of the traps in the first two sets to take advantage of a very out-of-sorts showing from the 20-year-old Dane.

The No.4 seed then wrestled the momentum back after Rune had found some sudden and belated form to snatch a set back.

Ruud took charge in the fourth and served it out on his fifth match point to come through in two hours and 44 minutes.

That’s real spirit and great heart from Rune.

He refuses to give in despite some misfortune from 30-0 up and manages to swat away two match points from deuce before hanging on by the skin of his teeth to pose the serve-out question.

Casper shrugs off a double fault early in the game, showing smart hands to finish off a gruelling point with a neat volley before flashing a winner to conclude and move within a game of victory.

That’s a lovely way to finish off a game and keep your fading hopes alive. Rune plays a slick serve and volley, producing a delicious drop volley to seal a solid game to 30.

Rune threatens the instant break back with a stunning forehand winner up the line to tee up two opportunities.

Ruud responds with a smart volley at the net and then makes deuce when Rune slaps a loose forehand long.

It’s a hard-fought tussle from there with some bewitching rallies that we were expecting from the start. Eventually Ruud clings on to consolidate and it may well be the body blow that finishes off Holger.

Ruud sinks his teeth into an eight-minute return game – and he gets his reward!

The Norwegian sees two opportunities go begging but sets up a third with an outstanding crosscourt forehand winner. Rune is too cute trying to fend it off with a drop shot that doesn’t have the legs to make it past the net.

There’s less drama from Ruud’s perspective and he has managed to find an inner calm to shut out Rune’s antics and the efforts of the crowd to unnerve him.

The No.4 seed keeps the board ticking over nicely with a game to 15 as he looks to get this match won in four.

Rune is a completely different proposition now. He’s using his feisty nature and adrenalin to fuel his game and it’s got the crowd massively engaged and on his side.

He rants to his box that everything Ruud hits nudges the baseline and it amuses John McEnroe on Eurosport Comms who suggests wryly that it s pretty much the point!

Back onthe court and Rune tucks away a neat volley into the open court to edge on to the board after Ruud had picked off a lob and briefly threatened at 15-30.

It’s a mixed bag from Ruud as he comes under sudden pressure from 40-15 up and has to find clutch serves from deuce to dig out the hold.

The 20-year-old Dane is back in business! He shakes off the disappointment of some early yips and a double fault to scramble back from 0-30 via two smashes.

Ruud produces staunch defence to fend off one set point but Rune corks a crosscourt pass to earn a second and this time the No.4 seed can only steer a return into the net.

Rune briefly threatens another break with an explosive winner for 15-30 but Ruud stays focused and reels off the next three points with solid tennis to pose that famous, old serve-out question.

It is a very different match now and that’s the beauty of the sport of tennis, particularly in the best of five format. A pumped up Rune charges through a game to 15 with a flurry of winners to take his total to 24 and move within a game of taking us into a fourth set that didn’t look likely.

Ruud doesn’t have to do too much to stay within striking distance as Rune suddenly starts leaking errors once more. It’s an untidy watch but the Norwegian will gratefully snap up the cheap hold.

Rune has ironed out those glaring issues in his game and found some decent form now. He fires two more winners on his way to a dominant game to 15 to stay on course to reduce the arrears.

Rune has the crowd purring with a gorgeous drop shot to make 15-15 and Ruud knows he needs to double-down on his focus.

The Norwegian does just that, slapping a timely ace down the T to take control before easing on to the board with a game to 15.

A trio of winners an a wild forehand way off court from Ruud see the young Dane consolidate to 15 and take control of Set 3.

The Chatrier crowd are right behind Rune and he is responding now.

They want their moneys worth! Ruud looks a tad irritated by it and loses the focus that was serving him so well.

The Norwegian saves two break points but Rune lures an error with a drop shot from deuce before smashing home to break on his third opportunity.

‘Allez!’ screams Rune when he makes deuce by a whisker as a fierce Ruud forehand flies just long.

The Dane continues to yell between points to fire himself and the crowd up and it seems to work as he dodges out of danger to hit the front at the start of Set 3.