Ruud Too Good For Rune, Will Meet Zverev In French SFs Friday

There will be no new Grand Slam semifinalists this year at the French Open as Holger Rune and Tomas Martin Etcheverry both went down in four sets to Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev, respectively.

Zverev returned for his third straight trip to the French Open final four knocking out Etcheverry 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a tough quarterfinal.

The two were slugging it out from the baseline but Zverev’s ability at the net and his better second serve and nerves proved the difference.

Etcheverry with his heavy forehand and backhand was able to grab the second and then went a quick break up in the third, however couldn’t sustain. The Argentine who hadn’t dropped a set coming into his first Slam quarter fell under the weight of Zverev, culminating by an epic final game at 5-4.

“The conditions during the day are a lot better for me,” Zverev said. “The ball is a lot faster and bounces higher. I love to play on clay and day conditions are better.

“The 5-4 game was incredible from both of us. He was hitting the ball extremely hard and I was hitting the ball extremely hard. At the end of the day I think I deserved to win.”

It’s been an incredible turnaround for Zverev after what happened a year ago.

“It was the most difficult year of my life,” Zverev said. “I love tennis with all my heart and the competitiveness that was taken away a year ago. I am so happy to be back at this stage.”

In much-anticipated rematch from a year ago, Ruud once again got over on Rune 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Having played a 5-setter in the last round against Francisco Cerudolo, the 20-year-old Rune looked flat early on and Ruud just dominated breezing to a two set lead.

Rune would build some belief, got the crowd involved and mounted a charge in the third but it ultimately ran out of gas at the end.

“I’m very, very relieved. I came into this match just trying to play without pressure. But it’s not easy, obviously. You’re playing a big match and against Holger it’s never easy,” Ruud said on court. “He plays very aggressive. Luckily for me the first two sets he wasn’t probably feeling it too well, he was doing a lot of errors, so I sort of got a lot of points for free.

“So that helped the nerves, but he fought back. Third set he came out playing better and then in the fourth set I was just lucky to get that one break and then keep it all the way out.”

Ruud improves to 5-1 against Rune who remains without a Grand Slam semifinal. Thirty unforced errors in the first two sets cost the Dane dearly.

“I wasn’t there the first two sets, but you cannot allow yourself to do that when you play a player like Casper, and any player at the top of the game, because it’s too long of a way back,” Rune said.

“I think I started very, very bad, unfortunately. I didn’t find my level at all the first two sets.”

“It’s tough. Like the first two sets, I didn’t really get the chance to see how well he played because I missed so many shots. In the third and fourth set I started to play better, and I thought he still played good.”

Zverev leads Ruud 2-1 in their series.

“It’s so great to see him back in the semifinal again. He’s had a really tough year since a year ago,” Ruud said on court.

“I think it is going to be a good match. We’re going to give it our all, both of us, and let’s see how it goes.”

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