“I have to start with one,” Holger Rune still optimistic about fulfilling his childhood dream of winning more French Open titles than Rafael Nadal

Holger Rune is focusing on winning one Grand Slam at least in 2023.

“I have to start with one,” Holger Rune still optimistic about fulfilling his childhood dream of winning more French Open titles than Rafael Nadal

Image Credit: Instagram Holger Rune and Rafael Nadal

Holger Rune defeated world no. 1 Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. But he has his eyes fixed on his childhood dream of winning more French Open titles than Rafael Nadal. Holger Rune has been doing quite well this clay season, reaching the finals of the Monte Carlo Open. Rune achieved his 10th win against the Top 10 when he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final of the Monte Carlo Open. He later went on to win the Munich Open. 

That’s not all, He also won his first Masters 1000 when he defeated Novak Djokovic at the Paris Masters. He is now eyeing his second 1000 title in the Italian Open. But the Dane has a very special childhood dream laid out for him. He wants to break the King of Clay’s French Open title record. He wants to win more than the 14 titles that only tennis great Rafael Nadal has won so far. In the Italian Open press conference after he defeated Djokovic, Holger spoke about this childhood dream. He said, “First, I have to start with one (at least).“

YouTube video

Holger Rune’s main target this year is to win his first Grand Slam title ever. He is hopeful for the French Open as now he is one of the favorites to win after Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Roland Garros 2023. Rune is very pragmatic about this target. He said he would love to achieve the win at the French Open. Being realistic he said, “If it can’t be achieved at French Open, I hope to make in the other 2 grand slams, but first we start with one (Grand Slam title) and we see.“

FS Video

Holger Rune is all set to play against world no. 4 Casper Ruud tomorrow in the semi-final clash of the Italian Open. The two players have met four times head-to-head. Though the Dane has never won a match against the Nordic, the odds are highly stacked for Rune to win.

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Holger Rune has been a huge fan of Rafael Nadal since childhood

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Image Credit: Italian Open

Holger Rune was a massive fan of Rafael Nadal. The young Dane worshipped the Spaniard while he was growing up. Apparently, he had a lot of Nadal’s posters stuck up everywhere in his room. Though he was still a kid and pledged to beat Rafael Nadal’s record at the French Open, the title tally was low. Little did young Rune know, that the number of French Open titles won by Nadal would swell up to 14. The world no. 7 wants to have one Grand Slam title in his kitty by the end of 2023.

Though Holger Rune has already matched some of Nadal’s records, he and Nadal are the only two players who reached the final of the Monte Carlo Masters while they were teenagers. Holger Rune’s is a consistent name whenever people talk about who will ultimately replace the Big 3. His and Carlos Alcaraz’s names are becoming consistent names that tennis experts pitch. Though as a kid, Rune was a die-hard Nadal fan, he later grew up to be a bigger Roger Federer fan. 

The main reason for that was Federer’s on-court elegance and his movements on the court. Everyone’s hoping to see the Dane arrive on the Grand Slam circuit and win his first title in 2023.

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