Holger Rune and "the light at the end of the tunnel"
The Danish player talked with Andy Roddick on his podcast and claims that his return is very close, although he will not compete in the US Open.
Holger Rune is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The Danish player, who has not competed since last October due to a serious Achilles tendon injury, has already ruled out his participation in the US Open, but aims to return to competition next month. For several weeks, he has been training in other areas and has left rehabilitation work behind, now focusing on tennis.
The Dane has been withdrawing from various tournaments he was registered for since last May, where his intention was to play in the Hamburg tournament. Since then, he has withdrawn from all tournaments that followed, including the US Open, as he revealed in an interview with Andy Roddick on his Podcast.
Rune sets an approximate date for his return
The main news from Rune is that his return is getting closer. Although he does not want to specify a particular tournament yet, he acknowledges that the coming weeks will be decisive and that the goal is to be ready by September.
“I feel great. It has been a long process, as we knew it would be, but rehabilitation is going well. It’s less about rehabilitation now and more about preparing myself to compete again. I’m missing those final performance details, but I should be fine in the coming weeks or next month.”
The Dane is progressively increasing his workload on the court. Last week he managed to compete in training for a set and a half and his plan is to reach two sets soon and three shortly after. More than handling one isolated match, Rune insists he needs to see how his body responds to several consecutive days of maximum demand.
“Things are clearly heading in the right direction. It’s also about being able to withstand for a long time, several days in a row and many tough training sessions. I need to be able to endure that before returning to compete.”
“It’s not just about shaking off the rust”
Rune explains that the biggest challenge after so many months off is not recovering sensations with the racket, but reconstructing practically his entire movement pattern.
“I wouldn’t say it’s just about shaking off the rust. It’s about regaining the movements, the correct patterns, the technical part of the footwork, that last point of explosiveness and also the endurance in my footwork.”
His daily routine clearly shows how demanding the recovery is. Even before picking up the racket, he does about an hour and a quarter of physical work, focusing on mobility, running mechanics, jumps, plyometrics, and specific exercises. Afterward, he completes tennis sessions of about two hours and, in the afternoon, adds strength, cardio, core work, or more rehabilitation.
Training with Sinner, Musetti, and Cobolli
One of the most interesting aspects of the recovery is the opportunity to measure his level against some of the best players on the circuit. Rune has trained over these weeks with Lorenzo Musetti, Flavio Cobolli, Alexandre Müller, and even Jannik Sinner. Those training sessions have also helped him assess how much work he still has ahead.
“When I trained with players like Musetti or Sinner, I felt I had to significantly speed up my footwork to get in the right position. I thought: ‘Okay, I still have work to do’. They take the ball earlier, play deeper, and with more precision. You are under constant pressure.”
Rune believes that this difference in speed, depth, and ball quality is precisely what distinguishes the players who currently occupy the higher ranks of the ranking.
The Davis Cup, Rune's first option to return
Although there is still no definitive date, Rune does reveal what plan his team currently has. The idea is to reappear in September, and the Davis Cup looks especially attractive as a possibility before facing the Asian tour.
“We are looking towards Asia and there is also the possibility of starting my return by playing the Davis Cup at home. I would love to return in front of all the Danish fans. After that, the idea would be to go to Tokyo and Shanghai.”
The final decision will depend on how he responds physically in the coming weeks, but Rune conveys a clear sense of proximity for the first time. “The Achilles is responding well physically. I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Change of racket during his injury
Rune has also taken advantage of this time away from the circuit to make a significant change in his equipment. The Dane has left Babolat and is currently playing with a Wilson Blade 98.
As he explains, he finds similarities to his previous Aero 98, though he especially highlights greater stability and power.
“I’m very happy. It gives me a lot of stability, great racket head speed, quite a bit of spin, and power. I would say I achieve a bit more stability and probably a bit more power when I want to hit hard.”
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Holger Rune ve "la luz al final del túnel"