The Rise of Holger Rune - Issue #11

In a world dominated by tennis legends, Holger Rune looks determined to carve out his own legacy.

Written by Dove Sallow

If you’re unfamiliar with the name Holger Rune, get familiar. The 19 year old started 2022 outside of the top 100 and is finishing inside the top 10. He is the first man from Denmark to ever achieve this feat. Needless to say, his rise has been meteoric. He is arguably finishing 2022 as the most in form player, reaching four ATP level finals in a row and winning two of them. En route to the title in Paris, he became the first man to defeat five top 10 players in the same ATP event outside of the ATP Finals (Hurkacz, Rublev, Alcaraz, Auger-Aliassime, and Djokovic). Defeating these players is one thing, but defeating them as a teenager in a Masters 1000 is a whole different story. This kid is here to stay.

As incredible as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are, it’s almost strange to think that Holger was not on most people’s radars a few months ago. He did make the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, but his results slowed down a bit after that. He was the first Danish man to reach the quarterfinals of a grand slam, and to do so at such a young age must’ve put another layer of pressure over him. But it only takes a few minutes of watching him play to realize that he is every bit as talented as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. In fact, I would even go as far as to say his ceiling could be even higher than Carlos Alcaraz’s. We’ve all sat back and watched Carlos in awe of his talent and athleticism this year. His body is like a fully developed 25 year old athlete, yet he’s still a teenager. He hits the ball as heavy as we’ve seen anyone hit it, and he moves like lightning. It’s all incredible, but at this point, we have an idea of what to expect from him in the coming years.

Holger, on the other hand, looks as though his body is just starting to develop into a world-class athlete. He’s made impeccable strides in his fitness since Roland Garros, but he looks as though he’ll get even taller and stronger. That’s a frightening thought for the rest of the ATP tour. On top of that, he is just starting to catch fire at the tail end of the season. He has won 19 of his last 21 matches, defeating the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in the process, and it feels as though he’s just getting started. Holger now has the second best indoor hard court win percentage of any player in the top 10, with a percentage of 77.05%. He sits behind Novak Djokovic, whose indoor percentage is 78.57%. He also has the best indoor hard court win percentage of players under the age of 21 ranked inside the top 100. Sinner is behind him, at 74.73%.

Although Rune is still with his long-time coach Lars Christensen, who took Holger to number 26 in the world, he has added Patrick Mouratoglou to the team. Christensen has coached him since he was a child and they clearly have achieved incredible things together, but recognizing the time to add another perspective to the team has helped him take the next step. The partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou has been staggeringly impressive - Holger has only lost one match since they started working together. Patrick was working mainly with Simona Halep, but due to her suspension, he has taken Holger under his wing. While Patrick is known for his work with the great Serena Williams, his partnership with the Danish teenager proves that he can bring his magic to any player that takes the time to listen and learn.

While his results have been impressive, the thing that impresses me most about him is his all-court game. Similarly to Alcaraz, Holger is able to play from all areas of the court. He can rip the ball big from the baseline and he can also finish points beautifully at the net - this was perfectly displayed in the Paris final against Novak Djokovic. It’s one thing to know how to volley once you’re at the net, but knowing when to transition to the net is something that many of the most experienced players on tour don’t have a full grasp on. Holger possesses a natural instinct for when to close in on the net and finish a point. Quite frankly, this is what won him the title in Paris. He was able to end points quickly because he didn’t allow Novak to grind out rallies in the biggest moments of the match. Holger stepped up and put his fate in his own hands. And like so many of the greats, Holger was able to come up with huge serves when he needed them. He fought back from a break deficit in the final set and saved 6 break points when he served for the match. Having the instincts to play as courageously as he did, against one of the greatest players of all time, in the final of his first Masters 1000 deserves all of our attention.

When recapping this historic week, it’s impossible to not mention the dramatic match between Holger and 3-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka. Rune came back from a set down and saved three match points before finally mounting a jaw-dropping comeback win. Firstly, hats-off to both men. This was an unbelievable match that had everything - big forehands, huge serves, great drop shots, and world-class point construction. Wawrinka is a champion in his own right, and I commend him on the comeback he’s had to the highest level of the sport. He easily could’ve retired and left the sport, knowing he’s 1 of only 5 men who’ve been able to win more than one grand slam in the last 20 years (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka). He chose to stay because he has a pure and honest love for the game. For that, I will always commend him and admire him. But after he lost to Rune in Paris, he seemingly told Holger to “stop acting like a baby.” The audio is not entirely clear, but many reports are stating that this is what Stan said. If this is what was said, I genuinely don’t understand the need to say it. Firstly, because Holger’s behavior was respectful for the entire match. Secondly, saying this to a teenager when you know there are cameras watching and listening is a bit inappropriate. The way I see it, if you have something you want to get off your chest, take it to the locker room. This was a sour and bitter end to what was an incredible match. No one’s on court behavior is perfect and everyone has bad days. But I don’t believe any of Holger’s behavior warranted being called “a baby” on international television. Rune did NOT participate in any cheap tactics, fake medical time outs, or get into any big arguments during the match. Wawrinka lost to the better player that day. I can understand being frustrated and upset about losing when he had 3 match points, but Holger kept his composure and class til the very end. The Dane fought like a true champion to win that match. So if anything, Stan should be proud and excited about the future of men’s tennis.

With the type of tennis he’s played these past couple of months, Holger looks set for a glimmering career. He is, without a doubt, the player to watch in 2023. He will be a dark horse at every grand slam he plays. The teenager has proven he can defeat a G.O.A.T. - it’s just a matter of when he will do it at a grand slam. He has the power, finesse, and speed to beat Rafa, Novak, Carlos, and anyone else for that matter. In a world of G.O.A.T.s that constantly focuses on the Big Three, Holger is a welcome breath of fresh air. His success blows in on the winds of hope and change, solidifying the fact that tennis does not die with Roger, Rafa, or Novak. Holger’s young legend is in the making. He carries himself with the easy confidence and charm of a bright-eyed teenager. He plays with the type of passion and spirit that only comes from one thing - an unshakable belief. We’ve seen it in the eyes of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Now, we are seeing it in the eyes of this Danish teenager. He has a great coaching team and support system by his side, including his mother (Aneke), who goes to all of his matches and has the same belief in her eyes that Holger does. The Rune team is taking all the important steps to maximize his seemingly unlimited potential. It’s inspiring to watch such a young, budding talent being cared for and nurtured the way it should be - like a true treasure.

Humanizing Tennis Players: Holger Rune