Holger Rune on Becker, the Olympics and chasing Grand Slam glory
The Dane believes winning a Grand Slam title is not far away, while an Olympic medal this summer remains a massive motivation
Holger Rune, Hamburg Open, 2024 © Imago / Panoramic
Over the last year-and-a-half, Holger Rune has slipped conspicuously out of the conversation surrounding the leading players of the next generation.
As attention turns increasingly towards who will carry the mantle of the previous era’s astonishing achievements, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have separated themselves firmly from the rest of the pack.
Indeed, both of these young men are already Grand Slam winners and have both topped the ATP rankings. While the curtain has not yet closed on the careers of either Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz’s arrival as tennis’ leading men has already taken place regardless.
Throughout much of 2022, however, both remained on a relatively even footing with another name. Rune’s striking effortless athleticism and an aptitude for variety placed him as the third young player most likely to battle it out at the top of men’s tennis over the course of the next ten years and more.
Just a few months after Alcaraz won his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, coming through arguably the match of the season against budding rival Sinner in the quarter-finals, Rune staked his own claim on the next generation’s leading names with a breathtaking victory over Djokovic in the final of the Paris Masters.
Yet, over the course of the next eighteen months, progress stalled for the young Dane and the excitement has somewhat dissipated.
This is only natural. Until another big breakthrough is made, the limelight will remain focused on Sinner and Alcaraz as they continue to dominate the biggest stages and post career-defining results.
But it is worth remembering that the careers of Nadal and Djokovic – and of course Roger Federer, although he was several years their senior – did not begin on an even footing.
rune calm and confident on chances of grand slam success
Nadal had already won three Grand Slam titles, and reached a further two finals, when Djokovic won his first in 2008. The Spaniard then added another six to hold a total tally of nine before the Serb won his second major. Thirteen years later, and Djokovic sits ahead by two, unlikely ever to be caught.
The point is, Rune need not feel too disheartened by the rapid starts of his generational rivals – and he doesn’t.
“It’s been said many times that the difference between winning and losing a match is so small when you look at how few points separate players in a single match,” Rune told Danish site SpilXperten ahead of the Hamburg Open a few days ago.
“Against Zverev (at the French Open), I was a few points away from winning, and against Novak, I wasn’t close, but at the same time, I had chances to put him under pressure in the second set.
“For me, it’s about converting things from the practice court into matches so I can perform even better. I’m looking forward to starting another clay season.”
Still only 21 years of age, Rune speaks remarkably candidly and eloquently, whether in press conferences or in one-on-one interviews.
Initially viewed as one of the more combustible characters of the younger contingent on the ATP tour, his notable maturity is now one of his most impressive characteristics.
the olympics a huge motivation for rune
Currently competing in the Hamburg Open as part of his preparations for the Paris Olympics, which will take place on the clay courts of Roland-Garros, Rune has his eyes firmly focused on what he calls the “second clay season of the year”, culminating in the Games at the end of this month.
“I’m looking forward to starting the second clay season of the year, and I’m really excited for the Olympics,” he continued.
“The tournament here in Hamburg is also super important in terms of getting ready for that. The temperature in Paris might be a bit different than in Hamburg, but it’s good to be back on clay. Hopefully, I’ll get a lot of matches and a lot of good training sessions throughout the week.”
The Dane makes no secret of the fact that representing Denmark in the Olympics is one of his biggest motivations for the season.
“The Olympics mean a lot. I would almost equate it to a Grand Slam. It’s definitely up there. At the Olympics, you’re not just playing for yourself, but also for your country, so it’s not just about making yourself or your family proud. It’s about making an entire country proud and fighting for them.
“It means everything to make my country proud. The support I get from Denmark is incredible. I feel it everywhere, even on social media. I also feel that more and more Danes are travelling to see us Danish players play tennis. It’s a fantastic feeling.
“I hope I can play mixed doubles at the Olympics. It all depends a bit on the rankings, whether we can qualify or not. If we can, I would love to play mixed doubles. It’s about getting as many medals as possible, and now there’s a chance to get two. If not, I’ll just aim for one.”
back under the tutelage of patrick mouratoglou, the sky remains the limit for rune
Currently coached by Patrick Mouratoglou, the pair having reunited in February earlier this year, Rune had a brief stint under Boris Becker at the end of last season.
The two worked together from October 2023 into the first month of the new year before parting ways after just four months.
Despite a terse exchange on social media in the weeks following their split, Rune speaks highly of Becker and insists the mutual respect was never lost.
“It wasn’t a mistake at all (to hire Boris Becker). We agreed to try it out, and it worked super well. I came directly from a bad period, and he definitely helped me get back on track.
“I was a bit confused about the tweet he made, but there are no hard feelings. He was a fantastic player, one of the greatest legends in tennis. I definitely learned something from him.”
Currently with long-term coach Kenneth Carlsen in Hamburg, Rune is hoping a positive run in Germany will stand him in good stead to achieve something remarkable in Paris in a couple of weeks’ time.
Successive fourth-round finishes at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon appear to reaffirm that the young Dane is back moving in the right direction after a difficult period between 2023 and 2024 during which he struggled for consistency.
He is a remarkable young talent with the work ethic, desire and physical attributes to rise to the very top of this sport.
While the conversation may have shifted further towards the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz, there is still plenty of time and impetus to insert himself back into the discussion around the future of men’s tennis.
After all, at 21 years and three months old, Rune is still younger than Djokovic was when the Serb won his first Grand Slam at the 2008 Australian Open.
The 24-time major champion would be the first to say it is all about how you finish the race, not how you start it.
And with Sinner, Alcaraz and Rune all still under the age of 23, the race has hardly even started.
