French Open 2023: Emotional Gael Monfils roars back from 0-4, 30-40 in fifth set to book Holger Rune clash

31.05.2023 - 06:59 eurosport.com

Home favourite Gael Monfils roared back from 0-4, 30-40 in the deciding set to reach the second round of the French Open with a stunning late-night win over Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.

Monfils, 36, was on the brink of an early exit as he stared down a break point on his own serve in the fifth set for 0-5, but saved it before mounting an epic comeback to pull level at 4-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Ad But the drama was not over. Monfils was broken again to love in the ninth game of the decider, leaving Baez serving for the match, before the Frenchman broke back immediately and won the next two games to complete a 3-6 6-3 7-5 1-6 7-5 victory at 12:18 am local time.

Roland-GarrosAzarenka v Andreescu — Roland-Garros highlights7 HOURS AGO Monfils was overcome with emotion after the handshakes, collapsing to the court and sobbing as the crowd saluted his efforts. «It's definitely in my top two [matches].

Sebastian Baez Holger Rune France Argentina

Casper Ruud will play Alexander Zverev in the French Open semi-finals after the Norwegian fourth seed beat Denmark's Holger Rune 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 on Wednesday. Ruud, who lost last year's Roland Garros final to Rafael Nadal, defeated sixth-ranked Rune for the fifth time in six matches and avenged his loss in the semi-finals at Rome in May. "I kind of looked at it as though he was the favourite - he won the last time we played and he's had a better year than me so far," said Ruud. "I was feeling like the underdog even though I was seeded number four and he was seeded number six."

Zverev to face Ruud in French Open semi-final

Zverev had suffered a season-ending ankle injury in his last-four match against eventual champion Rafa Nadal on Court Philippe Chatrier in 2022 and had surgery, but complications later meant a return to pain-free action was delayed.

French Open 2023: No. 1 Iga Swiatek and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka on course for final showdown

PARIS: If Iga Swiatek meets Aryna Sabalenka for the French Open championship, more than the trophy would be at stake. The No. 1 ranking would be, too.

French Open 2023: Casper Ruud overcomes valiant Holger Rune fightback to book place in semi-finals

Casper Ruud overcame a fightback from Holger Rune to win 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3 and book his place in the French Open semi-finals for the second year in a row. The pair have a strained relationship after they had a fiery encounter at this tournament last year, and they had met in May at the Rome Masters to contest the semi-finals, with Rune emerging victorious.

Norway's Ruud battles past Rune again to book French Open last four spot

PARIS : Norway's fourth seed Casper Ruud battled past 20-year-old Holger Rune of Denmark 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Wednesday for the second consecutive year to reach the French Open semi-finals.

French Open 2023: 'There was drama' - Holger Rune and Casper Ruud set to meet a year on from explosive row

Wednesday’s blockbuster match between Holger Rune and Casper Ruud in the French Open quarter-finals will evoke memories of last year’s heated battle between the highly-rated Scandinavians. The pair are set to meet again in a rematch of last year’s fiery last-eight clash when Rune accused Ruud of showing him a lack of respect as a spat between the tennis stars also embroiled their parents. Ad The row erupted when Rune claimed that Ruud gloated in his face after winning 6-1 4-6 7-6(2) 6-3 on the night.