Holger Rune kicked off his 2024 grass season at the Cinch Championships, but it wasn't a winning start for the Dane.
Rune had a really good time at the Queen's Club last year, playing some solid tennis, but he wasn't able to find the same level this year. The Dane faced Jordan Thompson in his first match and didn't quite handle the matchup all too well.
The Australian is a challenging opponent capable of playing really solid tennis, especially on grass, and that's what makes him tough to beat. He won't beat himself because he's always solid, so opponents really need to outplay him to win.
Rune did that in the opening set but then couldn't do the same in the second set, which he lost in the tie-break. He lost the third as well to lose the match and lamented the conditions after the match.
The court was quite slippery, which Rune didn't like all that well, but he wouldn't blame the court for his loss. The conditions obviously didn't help him, but his level was not good enough, and he was aware of that.
"It was quite slippery, to be honest. I think I slipped maybe three times. But, it’s the same on both sides and he managed to not slip. I just need to get better balance for the upcoming tournaments and just be better in general."
"I feel like it is what it is. You know, we just have to adjust and, you know, didn’t do it good enough today. I can blame the court, but that’s not going to help. I can only blame myself. I just have to move better, stay more balanced, and then I believe that I’m going to play better."
First matches on grass can be quite complicated, and Thompson had already played a few before taking on the 21-year-old. He certainly looked more comfortable in their match, which likely contributed to his overall level.