“Didn’t have any more in me” – Rune laments tough loss while relishing bright future
Drained of vital energy, Holger Rune let a significant lead slip as he fell to Andrey Rublev in the Monte-Carlo final. It’s another valuable learning experience for the rapidly rising Dane.
Holger Rune, Monte-Carlo 2023 | © Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic
Fatigue was clearly weighing on Holger Rune during the third set of the Monte-Carlo final against Andrey Rublev, and ultimately it may have been reason that he was unable to convert a 4-1 lead and raise what would have been his second Masters 1000 trophy on Sunday.
“Disappointing, but again, it’s part of tennis. Just got to see what I did wrong, what I can do better, and move on, because, the most important tournament of the clay season is the French Open, so if I can prepare myself as best as possible for that one, that’s what matters.”
— Holger Rune
He said it himself after the match, telling reporters that last night’s electric semi-final victory over Jannik Sinner, a marathon semi-final Saturday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, sapped a lot of his energy.
“I obviously feel like it was a long match yesterday,” he said of the Saturday’s sensational win. “We finished late. You know, I didn’t have much time to recover.
“It is what it is. I gave it all. Didn’t have any more in me. I did what I could, and I was very close.”
At 19, Rune still lacks experience when it comes to making deep runs at the biggest events. Saturday’s win over Sinner wasn’t just a physical battle, it was also an emotional one. Over time he’ll learn the best way to recover and recharge, and find ways to overcome the fatigue that zapped him as he lost six of the final seven games against Rublev on Sunday.
Target Roland-Garros
He’s 19, ridiculously talented, and destined to take part in many more Masters 1000 finals. Best to chalk Sunday’s loss up as a learning experience. Take the valuable lesson and move on to the next challenge.
It’s exactly what Rune plans to do.
“I was definitely in control in the third set and also I would say mostly in the first set as well,” Rune said.
But again, didn’t manage to close it out.
“Disappointing, but again, it’s part of tennis. Just got to see what I did wrong, what I can do better, and move on, because, the most important tournament of the clay season is the French Open, so if I can prepare myself as best as possible for that one, that’s what matters.”
“I respect people. They have to respect me. That’s all.”
Rune’s brand of crowd management brought the energy to a fever pitch in Monte-Carlo this weekend as he had several moments of back-and-forth exchanges with fans. He seemed to feed off the energy, whether it be negative or positive.
We will likely see more of it in the future.
“My relationship with the crowd was awesome, if you ask me,” he said on Saturday. “I think it was great. You had so much energy on the court, which is fun. I guess if you ask the crowd, I think they would prefer that than two guys looking down and doing nothing.”
On Sunday, after some more heated moments, a reporter told Rune that his behavior reminded him of Daniil Medvedev. The Dane says he’s just being himself.
“I don’t see myself as Daniil Medvedev,” he said. “I just think that when somebody is screaming while you’re serving, it’s not normal. That’s why I either tell the umpire that if she can say something to the crowd, and if she doesn’t, I will do it myself.
“It’s just all about respect. You know, it’s important to respect people. I respect people. They have to respect me. That’s all.”
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