Fitness Trainer Marco Panichi Reveals Holger Rune’s Body Was Already Sending Signals Before Suffering Achilles Tendon Injury

Holger Rune finished the 2025 season with one title, which he won by defeating Carlos Alcaraz at the Barcelona Open.

Fitness Trainer Marco Panichi Reveals Holger Rune’s Body Was Already Sending Signals Before Suffering Achilles Tendon Injury

Holger Rune, Marco Panichi (Image via X/Univers Tennis)

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Holger Rune‘s 2025 season ended in a disastrous fashion. He tore his Achilles tendon while clashing with Ugo Humbert in the semifinal of the Stockholm Open.

Rune wasted no time in undergoing surgery. The career-threatening injury could force him to miss the majority of the 2026 season. His fitness trainer, Marco Panichi, shed light on what happened prior to the injury that was giving signals that something was wrong with his body.

There was not a major injury, but a set of problems that limited his potential. His body had started to send signals, and for a player like him, who bases his tennis on speed and the ability to change direction, even 10% less efficiency makes a huge difference. He couldn’t move like an athlete of his caliber is able to do.

Marco Panichi said on the JLM Podcast

Rune’s mom, Aneke Rune, blamed the tennis schedule for his injury. She said the 11-month packed calendar forces player to participate in spite of their bodies needing rest. Rune also admitted fatigue is the reason why he is in this position.

The Dane also thinks the injury was a ‘slap’ on his face, and it taught him to take his career seriously. Rune played two finals this year, losing the Indian Wells Masters to Jack Draper and winning the Barcelona Open by defeating Carlos Alcaraz. In Grand Slam events this year, he failed to progress to the quarterfinals.

Marco Panichi says Holger Rune needs to be disciplined during the recovery process

Holger Rune was recently spotted practicing on the court while standing on one foot. Upon noticing the clip, former player Daria Saville gave him a warning, saying that if Rune pushes this hard at the early stage of rehab, it could end up exacerbating his injury. Marco Panichi also suggested the same during that aforementioned JLM Podcast.

Holger Rune (2)
Holger Rune (Image via X/ATP Tour)

We’ve restored order. First in managing the workload, then in the quality of the movement. Holger always tends to give his all, but when it comes to recovery, discipline is key: gradual progression, controlled intensity, and respecting timing. At certain times, the right approach is to slow him down.

Marco Panichi said

Panichi joined his team after his split with World No.2 Jannik Sinner just before Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic also worked with Panichi from 2017 to 2024.

Holger Rune gives an update on his rehabilitation

Rune is keeping his spirits high and is doing his best to recover well. He has been giving updates about his recovery process on his social media. On his latest Instagram post, the 22-year-old shared a few more posts to give an update about his progression.

Holger Rune (2)
Holger Rune (Image via X/Univers Tennis)

It’s now 5,5 weeks since surgery and here we go with a super nerdy post on my ankel progression things are going really well in phase 2 of my rehab and I feel good Grateful for the help I get from everyone involved and around.

Holger Rune wrote on Instagram

Check out his post here:

Rune, a former World No.4 player, finished the season at No.15 with a 36-22 win-loss record. In his career, the five-time ATP titlist has clinched just one Masters 1000 title- the 2022 Paris Masters, which he won by defeating none other than Djokovic.

Since then, he has played three Masters 1000 finals: at the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters and the Italian Open, losing both to Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev. Then he suffered a defeat to Draper in Indian Wells.

In Grand Slam events, Rune has yet to advance to the semifinals. Since reaching the last eight of the 2023 Wimbledon, Rune hasn’t yet played a quarterfinal of a Major.

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