Rune dumps last year's finalist Tsitsipas out of French Open

PARIS :Teenage sensation Holger Rune outmuscled world number four and last-year's French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-4 on Monday to move into the quarter-finals with his biggest Grand Slam win to date.

The Dane, who has improved more than 350 places in the world rankings in the past 15 months, joins fellow 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the last eight, the first time two teenagers have made that stage at a Grand Slam since 1994.

He also becomes the first Danish male player in a Grand Slam last eight in 55 years and next plays Norway's Carsten Ruud in an all-Scandinavian quarter-final.

"I have an unbelievable feeling. I was so nervous in the end," said a beaming Rune, playing in his first French Open. "I was very nervous. I told myself to keep at it and play my plan. I mean it is so great to still be here."

"Part of the tactic to play as aggressive as possible - when he gets shorter balls he attacks them. I really liked playing the drop shots and it worked out pretty good so I am happy."

Fourth seed Tsitsipas, hunting for his first Grand Slam title, started well and broke the Dane to go 3-1 up when Rune's drop shot was not short enough and the Greek whipped a cross-court winner past him.

Rune, a former junior champion in Paris at the age of 16, broke twice, clinching the set with a disputed line call that went in his favour.

TSITSIPAS GIFT

Tsitsipas did not lose his composure though, saved three consecutive break points in the first game of the second set and powered back to level the match.

He did slip up midway through the third by gifting Rune a break and the teenager made the most of it to win the set when Tsitsipas fired a topspin forehand into the net.

The Dane succeeded in getting Tsitsipas out