“I think it’s normal in life that some people love you and some people don’t” – Rune not affected by others’ views as he advances in Paris

After winning his first-round match at the French Open, Denmark’s Holger Rune said that he does not get affected by other people’s opinions about him and does not expect everyone to like him. The 20-year-old has become a much talked about figure in men’s tennis over the past 12 months. Even as he has been racking up wins on court and breaking into the top 10, Rune’s energy and passion have also earned him some criticism.

But the sixth seed at Roland-Garros says he is not bothered by it as he advanced to the second round in Paris on Tuesday.

“I think it’s normal in life that some people love you and some people don’t. I think so, no?” Rune said. “But everybody has different preference of characters and players, and I respect that. That’s fine. It’s all right. I mean, if they are for me, it’s great. I just try to put on a fight every time I step out there on the court. Do my best to win the match. Stay focused. I feel like to do everything I can to win the match is more important on what’s happening outside the court.”

Rune – one of the favourites for the tournament after world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz and 22-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic – had an injury scare with his knee and a tough time with his opponent, Christopher Eubanks, in the first round. But after the match, the Dane said his knee was fine and credited his opponent for making things tough for him on the court.

“I feel good now. I just hit a return and I slipped a little bit and I slammed my left knee in the ground,” Rune said of his knee. “It was a bit painful when it happened, but now it’s okay. It was nothing dangerous. Then I would have called the trainer. It was not painful. It was just a hit. So all good.”

“Today didn’t find my best level, but again, Chris, he made it super difficult for me. I had to adjust, as I said, and had to find a solution to beat him. That’s the most important. Sometimes it’s not how you want to play, but it’s how it’s necessary to play in order to win. That was the case today. And, you know, credit to Chris. He made it super difficult. He was hitting his spots well and serve, mixing up the game a lot, played a great match.”

Rune will face French veteran Gael Monfils in a blockbuster second-round match on Thursday at the French Open. This will be the first meeting between the 20-year-old Dane and the 36-year-old Frenchman, who lit up the tournament with a come-from-behind five set win over Sebastian Baez on Tuesday night.

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