Holger Rune ‘didn’t feel safe’ after a nasty incident with a spectator during his French Open victory against Quentin Halys, according to Nick Mullins.
Rune was two points away from a four-set loss but produced a comeback to win 4-6 6-2 5-7 7-5 6-2 in the third-round showdown at Roland-Garros.
The Danish tennis star, seeded 10th, headed into the match as the huge favourite but his French opponent had the full support of the Paris crowd.
But there was one ‘aggressive’ fan who took his support of Halys way too far, leading to Rune threatening to quit if the spectator was not removed.
Rune accused the individual of grabbing his towel when he tried to return it to his box between points during the clash on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Holger Rune threatens to forfeit Roland-Garros clash
‘Well the conversation between Holger Rune and the umpire Adel Nour continues about the spectator who tried to grab – did grab – Rune’s towel as he took it back to his box courtside,’ TNT Sports commentator Mullins said.
‘Rune said that he wouldn’t play again until the spectator had been ejected. He said that he didn’t feel safe, that the guy was getting aggressive.’
The umpire, Adel Nour, decide to not kick out the spectator despite Rune’s protests as the player vented his frustrations to a tournament supervisor.
‘Spectator is still in his seat, and here is Rune serving to stay in this third set,’ Mullins continued.
‘I assume that is at the umpire’s discretion and it would appear that Adel Nour has decided that as much as Rune is upset about it, annoyed about it, it is not enough to kick the spectator out.’
Holger Rune left ‘uncomfortable’ over spectator incident
Speaking after the match, Rune said: ‘I put my towel down in the box, and the guy was yelling, [being] aggressive with me. He reached out for me.
‘I thought this was very strange, because I did not do anything against him and he should not interact with a player on the court, it’s a bit embarrassing, I think.
‘I told the supervisor that I would prefer him not being there, because it was a bit uncomfortable.’
Holger Rune explains why French Open fan ‘got annoyed’
Later in the match, the spectator eventually left, which delighted Rune when he could no longer spot him in the crowd.
‘I didn’t see him for the rest of the match,’ Rune added. ‘That was good, because it is not a nice feeling when the crowd is getting aggressive with you when I basically did nothing.
‘It happened at, I don’t know, 5-4 when I was serving for the third set, and we played three more games and nothing really happened. I asked to get him removed three times.
‘I think maybe he got annoyed that I threw the towel in my towel box. But I can do whatever I want with my towel box as long as I’m keeping respect for everyone, which I believe I did, and the umpire believed so because I didn’t get any warning.
‘I think a guy like that, it should not be about him. We’re here to perform, we’re here to play, and they should try to respect it as much as possible.’