World No. 8 Casper Ruud said Holger Rune gave him a cold handshake just because he asked him why he felt the need to check every mark. On Wednesday night in Paris, Ruud defeated Rune 6-1 4-6 7-6 (2) 6-3. At the net, Rune gave an obvious cold handshake to Ruud.
(🎥@eurosport) pic.twitter.com/BQwjvQb5Rp — doublefault28 (@doublefault28) June 1, 2022
“I told him, ‘What, do you need to check every mark?’ and he told me to be quiet. I asked him, ‘Maybe that’s not the greatest thing to tell your opponent to be quiet when I’m talking to you ?’ And he said it once more.
So that was all that happened. And I didn’t exchange any more words with him after this,” Ruud said, per the AP. “So that’s what he wants to say and behave? That’s up to him”.
Ruud beats Rune for his maiden Grand Slam semifinal
Ruud, who won four clay titles last year, came to Paris determined to make his Grand Slam breakthrough.
Ruud will be battling Marin Cilic for a place in the French Open final. “These are the matches you dream about playing and hopefully of course even the final, if it’s possible,” Ruud said. “I have to be really focused and bring my ‘A’ game in the semi-final because Marin has played great all week and it’s going to be another tough match.”
It has been a great French Open for Norwegian tennis as Ruud has been through to the semifinal, while Ulrikke Ekkeri reached the French Open mixed doubles final. “A big day for Norwegian tennis, because we have also a female player — Ulrikke Eikeri — who made the final of mixed doubles today.
She is even one step further than me. She will play for probably her biggest title of her life tomorrow so I wish her luck,” Ruud said.