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Two teenagers will feature in the French Open’s men’s quarterfinals after fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was stunned by Denmark’s Holger Rune on Tuesday (AEST).
Last year’s finalist Tsitsipas was downed by the 19-year-old 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-4 to join teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the last eight.
It is the first time since 1994 that two teenagers have reached the men’s quarterfinals of a Grand Slam.
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“I have an unbelievable feeling. I was so nervous in the end,” said Rune, who is making his French Open debut.
“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.”
It leaves Tsitsipas still hunting his maiden Grand Slam title.
Tsitsipas was left devastated and clearly emotional during his post-match press conference.
“I was struggling a lot the last couple of days in terms of finding my rhythm,” he said. “I was very nervous on the court, being frustrated a lot, and I knew I was this way, but I couldn’t stop being like this.”
Speaking of the match, he added: “I wasn’t really applying a lot of pressure, it was ridiculous at a point, and again I was stubborn, I was stubborn to change it, I didn’t want to change because it has helped me before, it has brought good results.
“But again, like I need to adjust way quicker, it’s too late for this stuff.”
Rune will play Norway’s Casper Ruud in the next round, which features blockbuster showdowns between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev and Alcaraz.
Before the match, Zverev has criticised French Open organisers, who he claims have favoured rising Spanish teen star Alcaraz.
Zverev, 25, is unhappy about his lack of matches on Roland Garros’ showpiece Philippe Chatrier court, which has a retractable roof, compared to Alcaraz.
The German feels organisers put him at a disadvantage ahead of his quarter-final with only one of his four matches so far on Chatrier.
“I played on Chatrier once, (world number one Novak) Djokovic played twice, (Rafael) Nadal three times, like Alcaraz,” Zverev told German media after labouring to a last 16 win over Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
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“Sure, he’s the new superstar, the new face of tennis and it’s nice to see something new too, but in our half of the draw it should be more divided who’s playing when and where.”
Zverev, the reigning Olympic champion, described playing on Chatrier in Paris as “completely different” compared to other courts.
“It’s like playing on another continent.”
Zverev says he is not concerned if organisers gave Djokovic, the defending French Open champion, and Nadal, who has won Roland Garros 13 times, preferential treatment.
“It is clear, and rightly so, that Rafa and Novak get what they want,” said Zverev.
“Now comes a new and young player who deserves a lot of attention, but I have the feeling that the other players are being ignored.”
WORLD NUMBER TWO MEDVEDEV KNOCKED OUT
World number two Daniil Medvedev was knocked out of the French Open by Marin Cilic in the last 16 on Monday in straight sets.
Former US Open champion Cilic eased to a 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win in just 1hr 45 min on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Cilic, ranked 23, will face Russia’s Andrey Rublev in his third career Roland Garros quarter-final.
Medvedev, the reigning US Open champion, had enjoyed his best run in Paris 12 months ago when he reached the quarter-finals.
He hadn’t dropped a set at this year’s tournament, but was completely outplayed by the 33-year-old Cilic who broke serve five times.
Medvedev was unable to carve out a single break point as the Croatian got the better of the Russian for the first time in four meetings.
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