Holger Rune is back at “100 percent” ahead of China Open debut

Holger Rune is in Asia this week where he will play the China Open in Beijing for the first time. 

The mere fact that the fourth-ranked Dane is fit enough to play is good news as he prepares for a first-round match with Felix Auger-Aliassime in a loaded draw in the Chinese capital. 

Even better? He says he has finally put the injury that has plagued him since the clay season behind him.

Rune, who enters this week riding a five-match losing streak that dates back to his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarter-final, reported that he had a pinched nerve in the fifth lumbar vertebra in his spine since the clay-court season while at Davis Cup a few weeks ago. 

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But he has put in the work and treatment, and the 20-year-old Dane says that he has made a full recovery. 

“I’ve been struggling with my back for a while now,” he said as he looked ahead to a first-round clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime at Beijing. “Even playing tournaments while having pain. After my last Davis Cup match I told myself that I’m not going to come back to the tour until I am 100 percent – I am now.” 

“I’ve managed to get rid of what I needed to get rid of and I’m back feeling closer to what I used to feel.” 

Back with longtime coach Lars Christensen 

As of early September, Rune reported that he’d no longer be working with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, which means Lars Christensen will be back as his traveling coach.

“I think it’s super important as a player that you have a stable team around you,” Rune said. “I known Lars since I was very, very young. I know his way of working and our way of working together and it is something that I trust 100 percent.” 

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