Holger Rune dragged into 'cheating' controversy amid French Open farce

Danish youngster Holger Rune has left the tennis world fuming after he won a point on what appeared to be a clear double bounce during his round of 16 win at the French Open. The 20-year-old tennis prodigy is never far away from the headlines and has once again found himself at the ire of the tennis world having defeated Francisco Cerundolo 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 in a three-hour and 59 minute epic.

But the match was marred after a horror double bounce decision that potentially cost Cerundolo a set. In the fourth game of the third set, the chair umpire missed that the ball had bounced twice when Rune was stretched at the back of the court.

WOW: French Open uproar as doubles pair defaulted over ball girl incident

'BRUTAL': Sad Elena Rybakina news rocks French Open women's draw

Rune dug the ball out on the second bounce, which looped to Cerundolo for an overhead smash. However, the Argentinian stopped play briefly before putting away the smash.

Incredibly, the umpire called the point in Rune's favour for Cerundolo's hindrance and a ball kid entering the court. Both of these were due to Cerundolo and the ball kid believing the point was over for the clear double bounce.

Instead, the chair umpire pinged Cerundolo for hindrance and he lost the point. The crowd became hostile after a few moments replays showed ball bounced twice. The Eurosport commentators were absolutely baffled at the scenes.

"Oh, my goodness, oh my goodness!" Barry Cowan said. "Controversy here. Lots to pick out in this point. Clearly, it double-bounced. But then also, why is he playing too? Is it because the ball kid moved? I see loads of ball kids move.

"Well, well, well. The umpire has made a huge mistake here. Would he have known that that was a double-bounce, Rune? Oh, so he penalised Cerundolo? But he didn’t stop, unless he said something, because I’ll see players stop in a point, and then all of a sudden they give them the fake."

Naomi Cavaday was just as confused with the chair umpire's decision. "Oh, no! Maybe it was because Cerundolo stopped playing. A big mistake and it’s so costly! she said. "He stopped before he hit the final shot because there was the double bounce from Rune. He hadn’t picked the ball up."

Tennis fans turn on Holger Rune over double bounce

After the match, Rune admitted he wasn't aware of the double bounce until it was too late. "So when I was hitting the ball, I didn't know, I just ran for it," Rune said after the match. "But then obviously when I saw it, after he did call it, I saw it after the next point on the TV, and I saw it was a double bounce.

"But the point already happened and he called the score. So I felt sorry. Sorry for him (Cerundolo). Then I managed to break him. I held serve. Then after he broke me it was close again."

Tennis fans were not satisfied and accused Rune of 'cheating' because many felt it was an obvious double bounce and the youngster should have conceded the point. Rune has clearly denied the accusations.

Regardless, Rune was full of praise for his opponent after the match. ”He’s playing amazing, especially on clay,” said Rune. “I think it’s a surface that suits his game very well. He has a big forehand, a big swing.

"So when he gets the time, as we saw when I was [serving] for the match, he hit two forehand winners and he was just too good. So credit to him, he’s a very nice guy and I wish him all the best.”

Rune has now set up a clash with Casper Ruud, another player he has faced a frosty relationship with after a sportsmanship controversy.

Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.