Rude Boy Redux: Holger Rune, Casper Ruud renew Roland Garros rivalry

WATCH: Rune spoke to Tennis Channel after emerging victorious in a thrilling fifth-set tiebreaker on Lenglen.

PARIS—Everybody say “Ja!”

Holger Rune and Casper Ruud will celebrate the anniversary of their drama-filled 2022 Roland Garros quarterfinal with a last-eight reprise in 2023: Rune survived a fifth-set tiebreaker against Francisco Cerundolo, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7), while Ruud avenged a Geneva Open defeat to Nicolas Jarry, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-5.

"I mean, obviously there was drama last year and I hope we can make less drama this year," Rune told press about their all-Nordic rematch. "We played each other in Rome. It was a good match.

"He's a good player. I respect him. There's no problem. We're good. Should be a match without problems, hopefully. Just looking forward for it.

"Obviously I lost last year. And it's gonna be the same scenario, we play in a quarterfinal, maybe night session again, maybe not. We'll see. Hopefully I can turn it around and make it different this year."

Much of what we all remember from Rune and Ruud’s last major clash began after match point, when Ruud let loose a Liz Lemon-from-30 Rock-level eye roll at the perceived on-court antics from his young rival, who at one point was seen yelling at mother Aneke to leave Court Philippe-Chatrier as the four-setter escaped his grasp.

What followed was an exchange of he said/he said/they said that included input from both Rune’s mother and Ruud’s father and the meme-able accusation that Ruud had yelled “Ja!” at Rune in the locker room—which the former No. 2 flatly denied at the time.

“I don’t know Holger personally,” Ruud told Norwegian daily VG, but I have seen on TV that sometimes there can be a lot of drama. He’s young and new, so that’s excusable, but when you’re on a big stage, it might be time to grow up a bit.”

While the 20-year-old Rune has struggled to shake a predilection towards petulance, his game has grown lightyears since their terre battue tussle, taking him to a Masters 1000 victory over Novak Djokovic in Paris and a Top 10 debut, and two more Masters finals on clay this spring in Monte Carlo and Rome.

Up against No. 23 seed Cerundolo, Rune withstood his biggest physical test of the tournament as he shook off a lost two-sets-to-one lead and twice recovered from mini-breaks in the subsequent match tiebreaker—channeling the electric Court Suzanne-Lenglen atmosphere to serve and volley his way into a second straight Roland Garros quarterfinal.

"I told myself in the beginning of the match tiebreak just to enjoy the moment, try to play my tennis... see how it goes," Rune said after the first five-set victory of his career. "At least go off the court with a smile on my face, because I played a good match.

"Because if you think too much about winning and losing, you know, you start to be tight and it hurts. I try to be positive and see the good things."

A resurgent Ruud will be waiting. Where Rune has taken two steps forward, Ruud has found himself making up for lost ground after a slow start to his 2023 season took him from within striking distance of world No. 1 to fighting for his spot in the Top 10 after early exits at all of the big tournaments from Melbourne to Madrid.

Under pressure in Rome, the 24-year-old Ruud reignited and reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal in over eight months. But Ruud found himself overmatched by Rune for the first time in their five-match rivalry, and lost to the Dane from a set and 4-2 up.

Looking stronger since returning to Chatrier, Ruud has dropped just two sets in four matches, and reversed a three-set defeat against Jarry from only a week ago to edge through in three tight sets—roaring back from 1-4 down in the second.

I don't feel like I have played my best maybe tennis yet, but at the same time, I'm playing many opponents who play very aggressively and they play fast and sort of give me no rhythm...I think the game will be a little bit different from this match. I'm going to try to prepare for that and hopefully bring my A game, because whoever I play is going to be a tough one. Casper Ruud

“This year I felt a little more pressure obviously because I needed to try to sort of defend my final spot,” Ruud admitted in press on Monday. “That's been on my mind. And I haven't done as well in other tournaments, so I know like every match, every match that I can win and points on the rankings that I can sort of try to gain can be important for the rest of the year.

“So, I don't feel like I have played my best maybe tennis yet, but at the same time, I'm playing many opponents who play very aggressively and they play fast and sort of give me no rhythm.

“I think my next match is going to be a little more playable from the baseline and I think the game will be a little bit different from this match. I'm going to try to prepare for that and hopefully bring my A game, because whoever I play is going to be a tough one.”

At the time, Ruud was unsure of whether he would play Rune or Cerundolo, but the maddeningly practical No. 4 seed surely sensed No. 6 seed Rune was on his way for a rematch.

When the student and showman reunite on Chatrier, it will likely be only a matter of time before the two stop being polite and start getting rude.