Hungry Holger Rune in the stands: Injured star spotted scouting Alcaraz and Sinner in Monte-Carlo

While Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz battled it out in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday, one notable face was watching from the stands of Court Rainier III.

Seated just in front of six-time Grand Slam champion Stefan Edberg, Holger Rune took in the action alongside a star-studded crowd that also included F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

For Rune, it was more than just spectating. It was scouting.

The Dane holds an even head-to-head record against Alcaraz at 2-2, and trails Sinner only marginally at 2-3. Both are players he expects to be competing against again soon.

On Sunday he made clear that his ambitions have not dimmed during his long absence, saying he aims to return as a dominant player on the ATP Tour.

The visit to Monaco came just days after Rune confirmed the news tennis fans had been waiting for. He will make his comeback at the Hamburg Open in May, just seven months after suffering a complete Achilles tendon rupture that many feared could sideline him for close to a year.

The announcement came through a joint Instagram post between Rune and the Bitpanda Hamburg Open, captioned in all caps: "THE COMEBACK BEGINS." The ATP 500 clay-court event runs from May 17 to 23 in Germany, the week before Roland Garros.

Rune has also kept his name on the entry list for the Rome Masters earlier in May, though that participation remains uncertain.

"The hard work starts in Hamburg. I can't wait to be back on clay at the Bitpanda Hamburg Open and to finally experience the atmosphere on site again after such a long break," Rune said in a statement.

The injury that triggered this lengthy absence happened on October 18, 2025, during a semifinal match against Ugo Humbert at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm.

Rune tore his Achilles tendon and was forced to retire from the match, bringing an abrupt end to a season in which he had returned to the top ten and won his fifth career title at the Barcelona Open, defeating Alcaraz in the final. It was also the last time anyone had beaten Alcaraz on clay before Sinner ended that streak in Monaco on Sunday.

Surgery followed shortly after the Stockholm injury, and Rune subsequently travelled to Doha to undergo rehabilitation at Aspetar, a private hospital specialising in Achilles injuries. He spent months working closely with specialists from Denmark and Qatar, regularly updating fans on social media.

In November he was spotted hitting on court at the Monte Carlo Country Club while using only his right leg, with his left foot still in protective gear. Months later he was seen training on two legs at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Biot, France, moving freely and striking the ball with confidence.

A complete Achilles tendon rupture typically requires nine to twelve months to recover from. Rune's return in just seven months is ahead of schedule and has divided opinion.

"He has the level, and of course, it will take a little bit of time, but Holger is an incredibly hard worker," former Danish ATP player turned pundit Peter Bastiansen said, though he also called the comeback plan "crazy."

"He's insane. He shouldn't even think of playing pro until at least November," one fan wrote on social media, with others equally cautious. "This is a really quick recovery, honestly, for that kind of injury," another added.

Rune had hoped in March that Monte Carlo would be his comeback tournament but admitted he still had work to do.

"This year I will enjoy my favourite hometown tournament from the stands and as much as I wanted this to be my comeback tournament, I still have my last heavy physical rehab block to finish before I can dance around a tennis court again," he wrote on social media at the time.

In the end, he did attend as a spectator rather than a competitor, but the sight of him watching the final closely suggests his mind is already back in competition mode.

"I have been locked in on my rehab work since the start of my injury and spent hours on heavy rehab surrounded by specialists from Denmark and Aspetar and my team," Rune said.

"I just can't wait to be back on court now."

Tournament director Enric Molina Mur welcomed the news from Hamburg.

"We are very pleased that Holger Rune will make his comeback with us. I know how much work he has put into this intensive rehabilitation period, and we feel honoured that he has chosen the Bitpanda Hamburg Open for his return," he said.

"I am confident that he will once again experience the special atmosphere at Rothenbaum, both from the Hamburg crowd and from the many Danish fans who will travel to the city."

Hamburg will be Rune's third appearance at the tournament, having reached the quarterfinals there in 2024.

His ranking has dropped to world number 29 during the absence, and he will be unable to defend the 500 points from last year's Barcelona title.