Holger Rune lashes out at 'dangerous' Italian Open playing conditions after mid-match controversy

Holger Rune won his second-round match against Francisco Comesana in three sets at the Italian Open. After his win, the Danish superstar complained about the bad condition of the claycourts at the new SuperTennis Arena.

Rune is the ninth seed at the tournament, earning him a first-round bye. In the second round, he faced Argentina’s claycourt specialist Francisco Comesana. The Argentine won the first set 6-3, but the World No. 10 staged a comeback, winning the next two sets 6-3, 6-4. The highlight of the match was Rune's defence during breakpoints, as he saved 18 breakpoints in total. He also hit 44 winners, which helped him seal the match.

The 22-year-old was seen complaining to the on-court authorities during the match about the terrible court conditions.

Rune: new court is “dangerous” and “unplayable” byu/theriverjordan intennis

At the post-match on-court interview, he expressed his disappointment and called the courts ‘unplayable’ and ‘dangerous.’

“I found the conditions very, very difficult on this court. It’s a new court. It was very tough to move, I think it’s dangerous for the players to play on this court. But I got through, and I am very happy I got through,” Rune said.

“It is before the French Open, and we don’t want to risk injuries. I honestly think it’s not playable. That’s my opinion. I am from Denmark, and in Denmark, at the beginning of the clay season, we really know what not-ready clay courts look like, so trust me,” he dadded.

The Italian Open is Dane’s fourth claycourt tournament this season, and he has already won a title. He won the Barcelona Open by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final in straight sets.

Holger Rune was forced to retire at the Madrid Open in the second round against Flavio Cobolli, due to a right leg injury he sustained from a slight twist during warm-up.

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Holger Rune to face Corentin Moutet in the third round at the Italian Open

Corentin Moutet at the BNP Paribas Open against Holger Rune in the second round match - Source: Getty

The ninth seed is up against the Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the Round of 32 of the Italian Open. Holger Rune’s best appearance at the event came in 2023, when he reached the final, losing to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. He defeated notable players like Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud en route to the final.

Rune has a decent record on clay. He has won five ATP Tour titles in his career, three of which have come on the red dirt, with a 62 percent career win percentage.

Moutet, on the other hand, is coming off two back-to-back wins. He defeated Rinky Hijikata in the first round in three sets and received a walkover from Ugo Humbert after winning the first set in the second match.

The two have played twice against each other in their careers. The head-to-head record stands at 1-1, but none of those matches occurred on the clay surface. The last encounter took place a few months back at the Indian Wells, where Holger Rune won 6-2, 6-4.

While the former World No. 4 wishes for a court change to play his third-round match against Moutet, it will be exciting to see how the Dane adapts to the newly made courts of the Super Tennis Arena.