“I even tried the one-handed backhand,” Holger Rune confesses to being obsessed with Roger Federer before being stopped by his coach

Holger Rune talks about his obsession with Roger Federer and how it led to his coach getting annoyed in an interview with Forbes.

“I even tried the one-handed backhand,” Holger Rune confesses to being obsessed with Roger Federer before being stopped by his coach

Roger Federer and Holger Rune. (credits: Daily Express, L'Equipe)

World No. 4 Holger Rune has made it clear a lot of times about the player who has induced a love for the sport in him. Rune has idolized Roger Federer from a very young age and has developed a liking for the sport since he started following him. He has even stated that many of his shots and styles have been inherited from the Swiss legend.

In an interview with Forbes, Rune opened up about how obsessed he was with Federer during his teenage days and how much his coach was annoyed by his actions. Holger Rune was also a huge Rafael Nadal fan, but he has always tried to imitate the style that Federer possessed.

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Be it Federer’s signature bandana or imitating and implementing the classic one-handed backhand, Rune’s obsessions with Roger left his coach with no other options than to stop him. 

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Rune said, “I even tried the one-handed backhand, but luckily my coach told me to stick to your own tennis.” With respect to his obsessions with Nadal and Federer. he added, “If I was going to idolize them, I was trying to idolize them all the way. So I wore the same clothes; I played with the same racket.” Rune also had his dream come true when he got the chance to play tennis against his idols and practice alongside them, sharpening his skills as well as learning a lot from them in person. 

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Throwback to the time when Holger Rune got his chance to meet Roger Federer:

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Holger Rune along with Roger Federer at the 2019 ATP World Finals Tour. (credits: DR)

It’s always a dream for any sportsperson to meet their idols, but to get a chance to play against them is more than a blessing. Way back in 2019, at the ATP World Tour Finals, Rune had the opportunity of a lifetime to practice with Federer, sharing a great moment alongside his idol. However, he didn’t have the chance to play against him on the professional stage.

Recently in an interview, he expressed his desire to meet the Swiss star again and this time join him for a conversation. He said, “I would like to meet Roger Federer again. I met him once, but like, I want to meet him real.” Rune has always held high regard for Federer marking him as the “most elegant player’ that he has ever seen on a tennis court.

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