3 players who reached the French Open quarterfinals on debut since 2005 ft. Rafael Nadal
Holger Rune joined an elite club in men's tennis after winning his 2022 French Open fourth-round match against World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday. The youngster became the first Danish man to reach the French Open quarterfinals and just the third player in the last 17 years to do so on debut.
In his first-ever fourth-round match at a Grand Slam, Rune earned the biggest win of his career so far, beating last year's Roland Garros finalist 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Historic Holger 🇩🇰 Historic Holger 🇩🇰
19-year-old @holgerrune2003 becomes the first Danish man to reach the quarter-finals in tournament history stunning Tsitsipas 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
#RolandGarros https://t.co/Z9Oo3TkhAn
In doing so, he added his name to the Roland Garros record book by becoming just the third debutant since 2005 to reach the quarterfinals at the claycourt Major.
Let's take a look at three players who have achieved this impressive feat.
#1 Rafael Nadal - French Open 2005
Rafael Nadal had a debut to remember at Roland Garros. The Spaniard entered the claycourts of Paris for the first time just days before his 19th birthday.
2020
Rafael Nadal at the French Open:
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🏆 2012
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The King of Clay starts his bid for a record-extending 14th title today against Jordan Thompson.
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Seeded fourth in the 2005 edition, Nadal defeated Lars Burgsmuller 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-1 for his first-ever match win at the Grand Slam event. He then beat Xavier Malisse 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round, before earning a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over his good friend Richard Gasquet.
Nadal made the quarterfinals on his Roland Garros debut with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Sebastien Grosjean of France. The Spaniard faced compatriot David Ferrer in the quarterfinals, defeating him 7-5, 6-2, 6-0 to set up his first-ever Grand Slam meeting with Roger Federer.
Nadal defeated Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the final. He won the tournament with a 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Mariano Puerta.
Seventeen years down the line, Nadal is now the greatest champion in the history of the iconic event and has won the Roland Garros title a record 13 times.
#2 Jannik Sinner - French Open 2020
Italy's Jannik Sinner became the first player to reach the French Open quarterfinals on debut since Nadal in 2005. Sinner achieved the feat in the 2020 edition, a tournament during which he well and truly announced his arrival on the Grand Slam stage.
Sinner entered the tournament on the back of a win over third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2020 Italian Open. He kicked off his tournament in Paris by defeating 11th seed David Goffin in straight sets.
Sinner then won two more matches in straight sets against Benjamin Bonzi and Federico Coria to set up a clash against Alexander Zverev in the fourth-round. The then 19-year-old brought his best tennis against the sixth seed, earning a shock 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win to make the Roland Garros quarterfinals on debut.
He bowed out at the last-eight stage to Rafael Nadal, but not before forcing the great champion to save set points in the opening set.
Whatever happens from here, Jannik Sinner can take great satisfaction in knowing that at age 19 in his first French Open, he made the King of Clay have to work & risk plenty for 72 minutes before Nadal won the first set in a tiebreaker
#Getty https://t.co/A6rO7VAXdK
Sinner's game has improved a lot in the last few years, earning him a career-high ranking of No. 9 in November 2021.
#3 Holger Rune - French Open 2022
Denmark's Holger Rune is the latest entrant to the list of debutants to reach the quarterfinals of the claycourt Major. Rune has had a dream debut at the 2022 French Open, not dropping a set until his encounter with Tsitsipas.
Rune announced himself at the tournament in style, beating 14th seed Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(4) in the first round. The Dane then beat Henri Laaksonen 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, before clinching a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Hugo Gaston of France.
Flying 🚀
📸 R. Pierse | Getty | #RolandGarros https://t.co/m9KUJZSzy2
Rune's victory over Tsitsipas also made him the second teenager to reach the quarterfinals of the 2022 edition, after Carlos Alcaraz. The last time two teenagers made the last eight of a Major was in 1994.
Rune has already had a year to remember. He started the 2022 season outside the top 100 but has already broken into the top 40. The teenager won his maiden ATP title in May, clinching the Bavarian International Tennis Championships in Munich.
Also Check Out :- French Open 2022 Results