Holger Rune calls brutal injury 'slap in the face' that made him take his talent seriously
NewsMonday, 17 November 2025 at 14:51
Holger Rune suffered probably the worst injury of his tennis career at the Stockholm Open, but it didn't break him, quite the opposite.
Only a month ago, Rune was playing in the semi-finals of the ATP 250 event in Stockholm, and things were looking good for him. The young Dane was up 6-4, 2-2 against Ugo Humbert. The final was within touching distance, but Rune's body had different plans.
He tore his Achilles tendon, a career-altering injury for a tennis player or any athlete. Rune will now remain sidelined for the vast majority of the 2026 season during the period when he should grow the most as a player.
It was a massive blow for the 22-year-old player, but it didn't break him. Rune has already appeared on the tennis court, posting videos of himself practicing while sitting down, as his left leg now obviously doesn't allow him to play correctly.
Despite this brutal blow, which even united Rune's rivals in calls to shorten the season and thereby reduce the risk of such injuries, the ATP world No. 15 seems very optimistic about his future.
Rune spoke to Hard Court in his first interview since the injury. During the interview, the young Danish player quickly established that he doesn't see this as an unlucky setback, but as an experience.
"Honestly, I think my injury was a shock for many tennis players and athletes because I never had an issue with my ankle, and my body was super healthy. I had no issues with inflammation, and I know that for sure, because after a tough spring, I had so many blood tests, cell tests, scans, MRIs, etc., done on my physical condition, and the results showed that I was super strong."
"So this was not supposed to happen—this should not be possible. I’m 22 years old, I’m healthy and strong, and yet it happened. But I don’t believe in being "unlucky" or having "bad luck" in sports. Everything happens for a reason, and there is an explanation behind everything."
"So the main thing that could have caused this injury is fatigue, and that is super scary for the whole sports industry. Sport is entertainment, and we love to entertain—we love that people enjoy watching us play. We just need to make sure to listen to our bodies, too. It can be very difficult to do that when you really love to play tennis as much as I do and love the game, the tournaments, and the fans."
Rune was asked what his biggest takeaway was, and he admitted that this injury showed him that he can't take his talent for granted. He now wants to prove to himself that he is good enough to challenge for Grand Slams.
He already won an ATP Masters 1000 title at 19. Now, he wants to take that next step, and this injury will serve as a great motivation for him.
"I never doubted my love for tennis, but I took my talent for granted. I was sometimes too easy on things, and now I feel the longing, and also look back and see all the stuff I could have and probably should have done differently. Not just practice, because that is where my passion is, but all of the things around it—what you eat, etc."
"To become top five and higher, to win Grand Slams, you need to do everything really consistently. But you know, not all of life is a straight line up to the goal, and the past few years… I think I also needed that phase in my life. To mature at my own pace."
"It for sure cost something with my ranking and [in terms of] trophies, but maybe it was necessary for me. We can’t undo what’s done, and now with the injury, maybe this is the slap in the face I needed to make me take my talent seriously and show myself what I am actually capable of doing. I honestly can’t wait to take myself to another level."
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