Rune confirms that he will not play in the US Open and dedicates some beautiful words to Alcaraz
After some intense days of training in Murcia with Carlitos, Holger announced that he will not return to the circuit at the US Open... and dedicated beautiful words to his friend.
It seemed like an open secret that just needed to be made official, and after 48 hours of so many crazy announcements, the confirmation could not come on any day other than today. Holger Rune will not compete in the upcoming US Open 2026, delaying his return to competition for several more weeks following his severe Achilles tendon injury at the end of 2025. A step closer for the Danish player, who did not want to rule out the last Grand Slam of the year until the last moment, but ultimately succumbed to the messages from his body and will postpone his first official match for at least two more weeks.
The Danish athlete came to this conclusion during his stay in Murcia, where he traveled to get back into shape and explore the limits of his body alongside another partner who was also recovering. The images of his training sessions with Carlos Alcaraz ignited hopes for many: they simulated competitive sets, and a happy, content Holger was seen, in good sync with the facilities and in a positive training rhythm... but still a bit far from stringing together several hours of pushing the accelerator.
Rune dedicated some beautiful words to Alcaraz after his training days in Murcia
The last day of training was crucial for Holger: the Scandinavian lost in a highly competitive training set (7-6 was the score for Carlitos) and had to conclude the practice, while Carlos managed to accumulate up to four hours of work under the intense Murcian sun. It was evident, therefore, that several more gears were needed before returning to competition, and the competitive environment of the US Open, with matches played in five sets, does not seem suitable for a comeback after such a long time.
— Holger Rune (@holgerrune2003) August 21, 2026
However, this is news that hurts less after the last week spent in Murcia: Holger himself dedicated some words to Alcaraz after these training days and even had the luxury of announcing his withdrawal in a family photo, with his team and Carlos's team united in hugs. "I want to thank you, Carlos, and your team, for a great week of training in Murcia. I’m very happy with my improvements and my level; we keep working. My team and I have decided that we will not choose a Grand Slam as my first tournament back. I hope to see you all very soon", the Dane noted on his social networks, hinting that there will not be too much delay before we see him back on the court.
It seems likely that the Danish player's goal is to get back on the court for the Davis Cup: he mentioned it on Andy Roddick's podcast and it seems like the perfect opportunity to soak in the energy of the crowd and not think too much about the possibility of physical discomfort. From there, if the Achilles allows it, Holger has admitted that he would try to compete in the Asian tour, putting the pedal to the metal and beginning his path back to the elite (he has already dropped out of the top 100 in recent weeks... and, for example, he is defending quarterfinals in Shanghai). Will we see him back on the court in 2026, or is it just optimism fueled by his images in Murcia? We will have the answer in a matter of weeks.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rune confirma que no jugará el US Open y dedica unas preciosas palabras a Alcaraz