PARIS, June 4 (AP)
Kasper Roode became the first Norwegian player to reach a Grand Slam final as he defeated 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the French Open semifinals. Eighth-seeded Roode is 23 and has never progressed past the fourth round at a Grand Slam. His father was a professional tennis player from 1991 to 2001. Roode has won 66 matches and seven titles on claycourt since the start of 2020. He now faces the toughest challenge of his career as he faces 13-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the final on Sunday. Rood practices at Nadal’s tennis academy in Spain and considers him as his role model. The semi-final match between Rudd and Cilic was interrupted for ten minutes when an environmental activist entered the court in the third set.
