“ mY’s goal is to win as many Grand Slams as possible, ranking number one in the world,” Holger Rune coolly assured on the hot and hot days in Cincinnati. “For me, it’s very, very clear, and it’s been like that since I was a kid. ”
22-year-old Dane is World 11 and he has arrived Wimbledon quarterfinals Moreover, the French Open twice. With the U.S. Open approaching, he hasn’t achieved the last four of the Grand Slams, but his bold ambitions seem more specific when his impressive record of two of the world’s best players is remembered. Runes have hit Carlos Alcaraz four times and won two times, including a 7-6, 6-2 victory in the Barcelona Open final four months ago. He also beat Jannik Sinner twice in five games with each other.
Runes faced the Sinner again in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open, but last Thursday he suffered a straightforward defeat against Térence Atmane. The French qualifier, who won only one victory in five games this year, described his tournament as “very crazy” as he also beat World No. 4 Taylor Fritz before sending the runes.
But the rune’s variable results for smaller players continue. “My problem is not to beat those guys,” he said of Alkaraz and the Sinner. “My problem is to be consistent in every game so that there is a chance to play them more often because I feel like it’s me to improve my level. It’s obvious that when Carlos and Jannik play each other, they raise each other. You guys push their level wildly. It’s a very exciting element, it’s a very exciting element. So, in their identity, I know that, and in his identity, I can put it into practice, and I can do it at the time. It’s consistent.”
Rune, as friendly as a match during the game, said, “There are days when you like: ‘How is that possible?’ But I’ve been thinking about finding a way.
He explained that his coach Lars Christensen said: “We are working hard, but we are also smart to improve and be consistent. But that’s the hardest part, basically there are only two players who are playing in the tour very consistently – Carlos and Jennik.
Runes are easy to interview and open to analyzing his challenges – he believes it is mostly spiritual. “It starts with the brain, knowing when to play well, or, when you play, why it happens, so you can do it again, not just by chance. I’m a good tennis player, so I certainly have a good couple of weeks. But it’s about trying to put them together – not just a few times a week after week.”
As his new strategy, Rune met with Andre Agassi last month. Agassi is a great former world who won each of four Grand Slam tournaments, winning a total of eight games. 55-year-old American An unconventional and profound thinker His love-hate relationship with tennis cannot make his tactical acuity boring. Runes are an interesting move. He once again worked with Christensen, who taught him at various stages of his high school career, but his five years on tour were marked by constant tinkering.
Runes were also coached by Patrick Mouratoglou, who successfully collaborated with Serena Williams, who was the champion of six Grand Slam players. There is no suggestion that Agassi will be his coach, but that informal relationships seem to be helping Runes. They worked together in Washington, D.C. for three days, and since then, Agassi and Runes have talked to each other or sent messages before or after the game.
“That’s my idea,” Rune confirmed. After the French Open, I contacted him and thought it was really interesting to hear his opinion of my game. We talked on the phone for a long time and decided to do it together in DC for a few days. He sees tennis in a very unique way and has some good information in the game. We had a long dinner and he gave me a very simple way to make it easier for me to look at what I could do.
“He is a legend, about tennis and how to win. So it was amazing to share that with me. We remained in touch and talked after the game on the phone, which helped to hear what he was thinking.”
Does Agassi think runes are future Grand Slam winners? “Yes. He is very clear. He knows all my goals and says they can be achieved. But achieving it is more important than hearing it. Faith is the most important word. I believe I can do it, and I’m sure I’ll do it in time.”
Alcaraz was born in Rune six days after May 2003, while Sinner was over 24 years old. The Spaniard won five Grand Slams, 2022 US OpenItalians have four names, Starting from last year’s Australian Open. Carlos is by far the fastest man. When Jannik won his first slam, he was now 22-22. So I have more time to try to do the same thing. He has always been an amazing player. This is not to say that he suddenly did something crazy.
Who is harder to defeat – Sinner or Alkaraz? “I always find it more comfortable to hit Jennik because he gives more rhythm, hits more shots. Carlos has a lot of changes. You give him a chance and he either gives you away, or shoots you down, or slams your boundaries or something different, or it’s a little different. It’s unpredictable. This makes the lower levels higher, but Jannik’s levels higher. They’re really equal.”
Runes are friendly to both, but especially Alcaraz They become couples Go to the semi-finals in the junior three championship. Rune said, “He has always been a good person, and now we are good friends.”
His failure to Alcalaz in Barcelona deepened the rune’s belief in runes. “Obviously I was a little nervous, but I was very happy to be in the game. The first set was a big fight. I got a few fixed points 5-4, but I won a big win, and then I got more and more momentum and the second set had a great second set. Beating Carlos in the final was a great feeling. The only annoying thing is that I didn’t have enough annoyance in the next game.”
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His mother, Aneke, followed all the twists. During the game, she was often around him, almost always in his box. She sometimes desperately needs another cigarette because her desire to win seems as deep as her son’s desire. Runes smiled at that observation. “Of course. It’s the whole project because I was six years old and when I told her: ‘I want to win a Grand Slam, number one in the world.’ She was like, “Okay, I’ll do everything I can for you so that it’s possible. ”
Tennis remains an obscure sport in Denmark, and he has little support from the National Federation. “My mom is lucky to have her own [water cooler] The company did this, which made it easier for her to take vacations and travel. But tennis is very expensive and at a lower level you have to pay for hotels and food. My mom and dad sacrificed their time, money, their lives for me. I feel like I owe them everything. ”
How did his mother help him? “With my mindset. She’s basically someone who helps me get my killer instinct. She’s asking for it, but in a great way, very supportive and very caring. I think that’s what makes her a great parent-not just keeping it kind but being honest.”
Life on the tour can be tough, Rune says almost casually that he and other players receive death threats on social media. After every game, you lose this on paper and you should win and that happens. ”
Threats are made by “people betting on the game, which is not very good. People threaten you and your family and it’s really uncomfortable to talk about something very straightforward. It’s really bad for social media… [and] This is dangerous in some ways. ”
After entering the finals of India’s Wells in March, He lost to Jack Draperthe rest of 2025 is very mottled. But who else is likely to challenge the Alkaraz-Sinner double rate? “It’s a good question. I didn’t think much about it. I wanted to see how Arthur Fils’ development developed because of his forehand, great backhand, excellent physique.” The 21-year-old Frenchman had a stress fracture on his back open from the United States. “His game has a lot of elements and I’d love to know how he’s going to do it, but otherwise I don’t know for the time being.”
What about Drapper Who enters the US Open semifinals last year? “His game is great, but I don’t want to say, oh, he can or he can’t, because everything is possible. But it’s tough because if you want to win a Grand Slam you probably have to beat Jannik and Carlos, maybe Novak, and he’s still doing well in big games. It’s tough.”
Runes’ first U.S. Open in 2021 Oppose Djokovic. But even at the age of 18, he was not intimidated and won the second set. “Maybe I know I can win,” he said with a smile. “Obviously, I was nervous crazy because it was my first time to go to a big stadium and then play maybe the greatest ever. It was disturbing, but exciting. In the first set, I shivered a little, but after I won the second time, I believe I was straight and blunt: ‘Well, I can beat this guy.” But, my body wasn’t great, I started to cramp and all the emotions and stress of the qualifying weren’t helpful.
He suffered further first-round defeats in his last two U.S. public appearances. “I’ve been underperforming in New York for the past few years,” Rune’s attention rekindled his recurring Grand Slam wish. “But this is a game I always wanted to win, but I still want to win. I’m ready to do better.”
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