Holger Rune explains reasoning behind his new blacked-out racket

Saturday, 13 September 2025 at 18:03

byErik Virostko

Holger Rune appeared on the tennis court with a bit unusual piece of equipment in his hand, which drew plenty of questions.

Rune is currently ranked 11th on the ATP Tour, which is impressive, but it's far from where he wants to be. The 22-year-old wants to challenge for Grand Slam titles and join Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the Top 3.

To do that, Rune has been trying something new. The Danish player appeared on the tennis court with a blacked-out racket frame ahead of the Davis Cup tie against Spain, and he immediately faced questions about it.

Rune spoke to the Danish broadcaster DR, explaining that he will test out the new racket during the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup, which is an excellent opportunity for him, as there aren't any ranking points at stake during those events.

"It's hard to put into words. All I can say is no comment. That much I can say. It's not a secret, and now I'm trying to see how I feel about the Davis Cup and Laver Cup, and then we'll have to see in the future."

Speaking to BolaVip, Rune was also asked about his racket. It was clear that the Danish player didn't want to discuss the topic too much, likely because of his current racket sponsor, Babolat.

"It’s a good question… I need to think about how I want to answer that. It’s fine, you’re allowed to ask, but yeah… I’ve tried a few different rackets to see what suits me best. That’s all I have to say about it."

Stefanos Tsitsipas tried something similar earlier this year. At the time, it seemed to be working for the Greek player, but he has since started to struggle again. It will be interesting to observe whether the new racket will help Rune.

Holger Rune aims to rediscover his identity as a tennis player

What the new racket might help Rune with is rediscovering his identity as a tennis player. Speaking ahead of the Davis Cup tie against Spain, he mentioned that as something he would like to focus on.

"I feel like I’m lacking some consistency in my identity as a tennis player. Often, I go into matches with a relatively offensive mindset, while other times I come in with a grinder’s mindset."

"That’s the danger. When I’m able to hit so many different shots on a tennis court, it can also be a bit confusing. I try to keep it as simple as possible. Of course, it’s inspiring to see Carlos [Alcaraz] and Jannik [Sinner] play at that level, but I also know that I can beat them."

Rune will have a chance to show his qualities during the Davis Cup tie against Spain. The Spanish team is without Carlos Alcaraz, and the Danish No. 1 already started well, beating Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-3 in his first match.