Dramatic scenes have engulfed the courts of the Japan Open. And Holger Rune has taken the center stage. Notably, the Danish star’s antics have taken the tennis world by shock, with fans enraged over his latest string of controversies in Tokyo. While contesting against home favorite Kei Nishikori, Rune upset the crowd with his unsettling behavior toward the local boy.

Fronting a formidable challenge has its downsides, however, the Dane came up with a surprising solution to Nishikori’s challenge. Although, to much hilarity, his on-court flares wouldn’t gain him any goodwill, it ultimately earned him a time violation from the chair umpire. After forcing a decider – having endured a one-set deficit, Holger was handed a time violation in the final set, serving on match point down. But, this wasn’t the only tense scenario during the match.

Nishikori requested a medical timeout (MTO) in hopes of remedying cramps in his thighs. Seemingly unhappy with the Japanese star getting coached by his team, Holger pleaded his case to the supervisor, but to no avail. This match truly encapsulated everything. Drama, high-octane performances, coupled with a thrilling match-up.

With multiple controversies building up to the climax, fans were far from happy. This, in turn, prompted them to take to social media and voice their displeasure with Rune’s behavior.

Holger Rune receives calls for getting sacked following arrogant display in Tokyo

One fan took to X and highlighted that Holger Rune’s “bad behavior” was uncalled for. The fan noted that “the crowd is cheering his good shots and being very fair”. Another fan called Dane’s attitude “arrogant,” while one netizen voiced these issues as the potential reason behind Rune’s recent lack of success on tour-level events. “It’s the attitude that’s going to stop him from reaching the very top of the game. Despite being physically capable”.

Another X user explained that “the sentence ‘Rune is provoking’ is so old news bcos that is exactly what he always does to the crowd even the polite ones”. Notably, these comments aren’t completely baseless. Rune has been involved in multiple controversies during his time on the Tour.

Known for aggressive and expressive on-court play, the Dane scripted headlines after finding himself embroiled in controversies during his clash against Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo Masters. He was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct by umpire Damien Dumusois after being jeered by spectators. But he further expressed his resentment with the decision, pleading to “Call the supervisor, I cannot get one [a warning] for this – I did not say the bad words to them”.

Moreover, when he was  18, Rune was penalized after being caught on camera mentioning homophobic slurs during a match on the Challenger Tour. To much surprise, the 21-year-old also split with ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou twice after his on-court antics peaked in 2023. Rune was also involved in a double bounce controversy at the French Open in 2023, notably a few days after he argued to replay a point at the 2023 Madrid Open, earning him the courtesy of crowd boos.

However, despite much hue and cry, the Dane mustered his best form to come out on top today. After downing Nishikori in a three-set thriller, Rune has secured a spot in the last four, wherein he stands a real shot of making it to the summit clash and walking away with the Japan Open title.