Holger Rune has slipped further behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner this season, but he still thinks it has been a decent year overall.
When they first emerged on the ATP Tour, Rune was often compared to Alcaraz and Sinner, and some felt that the young trio would rise to the top of men's tennis together and have great rivalries.
The Dane won his first Masters 1000 title at the 2022 Paris Masters, memorably beating Novak Djokovic in an epic three-set battle. That meant he claimed a Masters 1000-level crown before Sinner.
Rune ended 2024 ranked at No. 8. He started the season strongly by reaching the final of the Brisbane International. Although he lost the final to Grigor Dimitrov, the 21-year-old looked ready for a season of progress.
However, 2024 has not featured many outstanding moments for Rune. The two-time French Open quarterfinalist's best run since Brisbane was to the Cincinnati Open semifinal.
Rune had a golden opportunity to reach the final in Cincinnati when he was 5-2 up and later held two match points against Frances Tiafoe, but his American opponent staged a dramatic comeback to beat him.
It is important to emphasize that Rune has not performed badly in 2024. Quarterfinals at the Indian Wells Open and the Monte-Carlo Masters and fourth-round appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon are results that should not be underestimated.
But it is also fair to acknowledge that he is not currently near the level of Sinner and Alcaraz. Sinner became the fastest player to finish as the year-end No. 1 since Novak Djokovic in 2015 after winning the Australian Open and the US Open.
Alcaraz is currently the world No. 2 and took his Grand Slam tally to four by securing the French Open and his second Wimbledon title in 2024. Sinner and Alcaraz have also played epic matches, including the Spaniard outlasting his rival in the China Open final.
Speaking to the Tennis Channel after winning his opening match of the ongoing Paris Masters, Rune outlined why he thinks it has been a decent season but also admitted it had not been the best.
"42 wins... You can't call it a bad season really, but it's been a decent season. It's not been the best season, but I can finish calling it a good one if I finish well in Paris. It has definitely been consistent but not anything wild from my side. So, I'm just trying to build up my level."
"I'm back with my old coach Lars (Christensen) as well. I think what we always did well was to have good success together and reach my goals. So, I'm very happy to be back with him."
Although Rune is currently outside the Top 10 and did not come close to winning a Grand Slam this year, the Dane still has a lot of time to improve and mature on the court at the age of 21.
It would not be a surprise to see him have a significant breakthrough sometime in the coming years that silences his current doubters.
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