Casper Ruud | AFP
Paris: Last year's runner-up Casper Ruud booked his place in the French Open third round on Thursday with a four-set win over battling Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.
The Norwegian fourth seed was pushed hard by his 129th-ranked opponent but clinched a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 success on Court Philippe Chatrier.
He appeared to be cruising to a comfortable victory until Zeppieri snatched the third set.
Ruud also failed to serve out the match when leading 5-4 in the fourth set before getting the job done at the second time of asking.
Ruud, who also lost the US Open final in 2022, will next face either Argentinian qualifier Thiago Agustin Tirante or Zhang Zhizhen -- the first Chinese man to win a Roland Garros main-draw match since 1937 -- for a place in the last 16 on Saturday.
The 24-year-old Ruud was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the final 12 months ago.
AFP
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