Holger Rune’s Mother Outlines the Safest Escape Plan From Qatar After Middle East War Crisis

Holger Rune is expected to be back on tour in May with a potential comeback at the Roland Garros.

Holger Rune’s Mother Outlines the Safest Escape Plan From Qatar After Middle East War Crisis

Aneke Rune, Holger Rune (Image via Sport.dk, X/Holger Rune HQ)

In Short
  • Holger Rune and his mother are currently trapped in Qatar due to ongoing regional conflicts and closed airspace.
  • Aneke Rune criticized the Danish government for inadequate assistance in their escape from the crisis.
  • Rune is focusing on rehabilitation for his Achilles tendon injury and is expected to return to competitive tennis by May.

Since the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Middle Eastern neighbors, airspaces in Qatar and several countries remain closed. That has forced Danish star Holger Rune and his mother Aneke Rune to be trapped in the region as the crisis prolongs.

The Indian Wells Open kicked off this week, but Rune remains focused on rebuilding his fitness rather than competing at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. His continued rehabilitation for his Achilles tendon injury made him stay at Aseptar in Doha, working with a special rehabilitation center.

The center regularly works with elite athletes across multiple disciplines. The 22-year-old is currently working through the final stages of a program designed to restore strength and mobility in the injured tendon. This has seen Rune and his mother stuck there for several days amidst the ongoing turbulence in the Middle East region.

Earlier this week, the ATP reported that at least 16 players were trapped in the region, including Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Karen Khachanov. However, the three Russian stars traveled to Oman and then boarded a private jet to Turkey before flying to Los Angeles for the Indian Wells Open.

A few days ago, Aneke Rune criticized the Danish government for being lackadaisical about helping her and her son leave the region. The mother of the 22-year-old player spoke again to B.T. media, describing the difficulty of leaving Qatari territory, as there are reports that there will be a new wave of attack by Iran:

We felt the situation had calmed down a bit, so we resumed our normal lives, hoping the airport would reopen soon. I’m used to organizing trips, so I have a possible escape plan in mind. Mainly, it’s about what is safest. The security companies we’ve consulted recommend staying put. But it’s still hard to stay because you never know when there will be a new attack, how violent it will be, or how close it is. So, in a way, it affects you.

Rune will surely be missing the Indian Wells Open as he reached the final of the tournament last year before losing to British star Jack Draper in straight sets. However, that marked a turning point in his career in 2025 as he went on to win the Barcelona Open, the following month, after beating World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Holger Rune says there’s no miracle solution to the ATP’s hectic schedule

For the past three seasons, one of the major topics on tour has centered around the hectic ATP calendar. This year, players including Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev were forced to skip the Rotterdam Open despite having points to defend there, following their run at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Holger Rune
Holger Rune (Image via Holger Rune HQ)

The calendar was one of the major factors in Holger Rune’s injury last year. The Dane was seeking to seal a place in the ATP Finals, which forced him to play in back-to-back events on tour. During an interview with So Tennis, Rune highlighted that the schedule puts pressure on players to recover quickly during long stretches of the season:

The calendar is very dense. I think the challenge is to find the right balance so that players can give their best in front of the fans. I don’t have a miracle solution. The next steps are to gradually intensify my work with more demanding exercises and eventually return to tennis with controlled movements on the court.

Rune is expected to be back on the court in May with a potential comeback at the French Open in late May. However, he may return earlier than that and play a warm-up tournament before the clay-court Grand Slam in Roland Garros.

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