Tennis – Roland-Garros 2024: Rune takes out Kovalik

“I’m happy to have been able to play this Saturday, the rest day between two rounds is very important in Grand Slam,” confirmed Rune. “I’m happy with my level, I feel like I raised it, especially in the second set. It was difficult to conclude but Kovalik also pulled out some punches that made it clear why he beat Khachanov.”

It’s not yet the great Holger Rune but it’s the Rune who wins, which is the main thing for the double quarter-finalist of the Parisian Grand Slam (2022, 2023). With this victory, the No. 13 seed returns to the second week of a major tournament for the first time since Wimbledon last year after his 1st round at the 2023 US Open and his 2nd round at the 2023 Open. Australia in January.

Rune’s mind-blowing stat in the tie-break

Above all, it reinforces an incredible statistic which has seen him win his last thirteen decisive games on the Tour. Rune has not lost since his second round defeat in Melbourne against Arthur Cazaux five months ago. Far from the thrills that took place at 0-5 in the decisive game of the fifth against Cobolli in the previous round, Rune did not tremble, once again delivering tennis that resembles him at 6-6, leaving one wondering about the speed where the match would go if he managed to relax early.

Because Rune could have made life easier in the third set by maintaining the break in advance that he obtained twice. One at the start of the round (2-1), and especially the other to close the match (5-4). Four unforced errors including two double faults forced the Dane to push to the tie-break. He even came within two points of losing this set at 6-5 Kovalik, 30-30 on his serve.

A new tournament will begin for Rune on Monday, that of conquest. For the first time this season since his quarter-final in Indian Wells against Daniil Medvedev, the former world No. 4 will play “against”, his chest swollen with hope, relieved of the concern to honor his status which makes his difficult season. In the next round, his opponent will be Alexander Zverev, seeded No. 4, in the theoretical round of 16 of the table. Two survivors thirsty for glory – and a first Grand Slam title. It promises.

Rune’s 13 consecutive tie-breaks won in 2024

• Montpellier, Mmoh (8th final): 7-66-4
• Acapulco, Kovacevic (round of 16): 7-66-2
• Acapulco, Koepfer (quarter): 7-6, 7-6
• Indian Wells, Musetti (16th final): 6-2, 7-6
• Indian Wells, Fritz (round of 16): 2-6, 7-66-3
• Monte-Carlo, Dimitrov (8th final): 7-63-6, 7-6
• Monte-Carlo, Sinner (quarter): 4-6, 7-63-6
• Munich, Huesler (quarter): 6-4, 7-6
• Madrid, Navove (2nd round): 5-7, 7-66-4
• Roland-Garros, Cobolli (2nd round): 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 3-6, 7-6
• Roland-Garros, Kovalic (3rd round): 7-5, 6-1, 7-6

The other matches of the third round at Roland-Garros (Grand Slam, Roland-Garros, clay, 53,478,000 EUR, results displayed from most recent to oldest):

• Novak Djokovic – Lorenzo Musetti: scheduled for Saturday
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry – Casper Ruud: scheduled for Saturday
• Zizou Bergs – Grigor Dimitrov: scheduled for Saturday
• Taylor Fritz – Thanasi Kokkinakis: scheduled for Saturday
• Francisco Cerundolo (N.23) – Tommy Paul (N.14): 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
• Hubert Hurkacz (N.8) – Denis Shapovalov: 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1
• Alexander Zverev – Tallon Griekspoor (N.26): 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
• Daniil Medvedev (N.5) – Tomas Machac: 7-6 (4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
• Felix Auger-Aliassime (N.21) – Ben Shelton (N.15): 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
• Alex De Minaur (N.11) – Jan-Lennard Struff: 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
• Corentin Moutet – Sebastian Ofner: 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1
• Carlos Alcaraz (N.3) – Sebastian Korda (N.27): 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (N.9) – Zhizhen Zhang: 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
• Jannik Sinner (N.2) – Pavel Kotov: 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
• Matteo Arnaldi – Andrey Rublev (N.6): 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4