"Carlos Alcaraz is praised... double standards is insane" - Fans argue over Holger Rune's gesture at Japan Open crowd during win against Kei Nishikori

Several fans debated Holger Rune's gesture directed at the crowd following his quarterfinal win over Kei Nishikori at the Japan Open. Rune advanced to the final after defeating Alejandro Tabilo and Yoshihito Nishioka in the earlier rounds.

The Dane faced a tough challenge against the Japanese at the Ariake Coliseum, losing the first set 3-6. However, he came back strong in the second, winning 6-2, and also took the third set 7-5.

Rune's desperation to win the match was evident. In the third set, the Dane celebrated a smash winner at 2-2 by shouting. After the triumph, Rune celebrated in front of the Japanese crowd by holding his finger to his ear gesturing that he could no longer hear the cheers.

In light of this, the official X handle of The Big Three opined that Rune's gesture following the Japan Open quarterfinal win was his choice. They wrote:

"Holger Rune holding his finger to his ear against Kei Nishikori in Japan…. is a choice."

Many fans reacted to this update with mixed opinions. Some pointed out that Carlos Alcaraz likely wouldn’t have faced criticism for a similar gesture. For instance, several fans previously supported Alcaraz for celebrating similarly after his quarterfinal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"When Alcaraz does it, he is praised and not criticized. The double standards is insane," a fan wrote.

"I see nothing wrong with that," a fan opined.

"Let’s not get biased here… if it was alcaraz no one would have a problem," another chimed in.

However, other fans criticized Rune's behavior, with one calling it "obnoxious".

"I wish all players would stop doing this! It's so bloody obnoxious!" they said.

"a brat in the most traditional sense," a fan wrote.

"And Kei Nishikori has no problem with this while this account calls it out is a choice too," another commented.

Rune's on-court behavior has been questioned numerous times before. His controversial actions during the quarterfinal match against Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo Masters also sparked divided opinions among fans.

Rune's agent, Philippe Weiss also noted in the past that Rune has to improve his emotions on court.

Holger Rune to face Arthur Fils in the semifinal of the 2024 Japan Open

Holger Rune to face Arthur Fils at the Japan Open - Source: Getty

Holger Rune, who is seeded sixth in the ATP 500 tournament, will face Arthur Fils in the semifinals. Fils is coming off a hard-fought quarterfinal win over America’s Ben Shelton with a score of 7-5, 6-7, 7-6.

Rune currently boasts a season record of 36-19, while Fils has a win-loss record of 30-23. Their semifinal clash at the Japan Open will mark their third meeting on tour, with each player having won their previous encounters.

The winner of this clash will either face Ugo Humbert or Tomas Machac in the summit clash.