'Swagger' Rune Is 'Different': How Pinched Nerve And Coaching Changes Shaped Him

| by Evita Mueller

Holger Rune played his first ATP Finals event, and he impressed a few people with his approach, notably former player Jim Courier.

The Dane had a really interesting experience at the ATP Finals, losing two very close matches and winning one. The victory came after a retirement so basically, he didn't really win any matches but lost two, which he played really well,

It was a strong finish after a really shaky few months due to back issues. Tennis Channel analyst Jim Courier talked about Rune a lot after his exit, including the back issues that prevented him from playing well as well as the coaching carousel, which probably didn't help him.

Well, I think we were surprised. And then when we found out that he'd been suffering from a pinched nerve in his back, it made a lot more sense. Yeah. And there had been a lot of complications with his coaching team as well. From the clay court season on, there was a lot of movement there between Lars Christensen and Patrick Muratoglou, back and forth.

Courier on Rune's struggles
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Courier is a big fan of Rune, finding him to be a very distinct character between the three rising stars. While Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz resemble the more old-school types like Nadal and Federer, Rune brings that swagger that makes him stand out.

The confidence has come back. And that's been nice to see because he's a player with swagger. He's a character in this new, younger triumvirate with Rune and Alcaraz and Sinner. He's different, you know, and you want three different guys like that coming through.

Courier on Rune's character

According to Courier, the three may not be the next "Big Three," but they may be good enough to make the sport interesting for fans to watch in future years.

They may not be the next big three, but they're in the same age group, and they've got the same ambition. It's going to be interesting to watch those guys.

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