French Open: 'I'm disappointed in Holger Rune' - Tim Henman reacts to 'clear' double-bounce controversy

Updated 06/06/2023 at 11:20 GMT

For Tim Henman, there was no doubt whatsoever that the ball bounced twice in the controversial moment Francisco Cerundolo was denied a clear point that should have been awarded to him during his fourth-round clash with Holger Rune at the French Open. Henman also made it clear that he believes both players would have known that the ball bounced twice, and he is "disappointed" in Rune.

'I'm disappointed in Rune' - Henman on 'clear double-bounce' controversy

Eurosport's Tim Henman has given his reaction to the double-bounce controversy that overshadowed Holger Rune's fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo at the 2023 French Open on Monday.

Umpire Kader Nouni did not spot the fact that the ball clearly bounced twice at a very crucial moment in the fourth game of the third set of the encounter, as Cerundolo slammed a forehand into the open court with Rune well out of position at deuce.

What should have been a point to Cerundolo somehow turned into his opponent benefiting as Nouni did not notice the double-bounce and then penalised the Argentine for stopping before he put away the resulting smash with a ball kid having already entered the court.

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Eurosport presenter Barbara Schett described it as a "critical moment" in a match that Rune went on to win in a fifth-set tie-break, and remarked that "Holger probably still has a few things to learn" as a result of the incident.

For Henman, it was clear that both players would have known that the ball bounced twice and that good sportsmanship did not play out as it should have, regardless of the fact that the umpire made an obvious mistake.

"It’s not an easy call for the umpire, but both players knew that the ball had bounced twice," Henman told Eurosport.

"The ball boy moved at the net, so then the umpire called a let. Cerundolo was saying that the ball bounced twice. That’s clearly a double bounce.

"As a player, you know that. I’m a little disappointed in Rune. He’s young and perhaps that hasn’t happened to him too often. For me, it's a double bounce, and that’s your responsibility.

"You can say that it’s the umpire’s call and play to the umpire’s call, but for me, the good sportsmanship is that [admitting the double bounce].

"Cerundolo did the same thing to [Andy] Murray at the US Open. There was a double bounce and he put his hand up and said it bounded twice. I have a lot of respect for that. It was a tricky one that ended up costing Cerundolo."

'The umpire has made a huge mistake' - Double-bounce controversy as Rune gets lucky

Fellow Eurosport tennis expert Boris Becker was also adamant that umpire Nouni made a "wrong decision".

"I saw the scene exactly in slow motion," Becker said. "There is no question that it bounced twice. Cerundolo saw that and therefore stopped. In my opinion, it was a wrong decision against Cerundolo.

"The player [Rune] has noticed that 100 per cent, the question is: do you admit that? There are professionals who do that and others who do not.

"But it is the referee's job because he made the mistake here, not the player."