Former Grand Slam Finalist Convinced Holger Rune Will Make Strong Return and Challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in Majors

Holger Rune will soon be returning to the tour. He has not competed on the tour since his mid-match retirement in last year’s Stockholm Open semifinals. Rune tore his Achilles tendon and underwent surgery, and has been undergoing rehabilitation. He regularly posts updates on his social media handles about his rehab.

Although it can take him some time to play to his full potential again, Thomas Enqvist, the former World No.4 and the finalist of the 1999 Australian Open, said he is convinced that Rune will be stronger than ever after his comeback. He told SpilXperten:

Of course, I have great belief that he can return to his very best level—and even surpass it. He’s still so young and has a long future ahead of him. I’m absolutely convinced that he can come back and compete with the very best players in the world for the biggest titles.

Enqvist also has full belief in Rune’s abilities to challenge the two players who have been dominating on the tour since the 2024 season: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. It was Alcaraz, whom Rune beat in last year’s Barcelona Open final to improve his head-to-head record to 2-2. Against the four-time Grand Slam champion, Rune trails 2-3.

It’s still difficult to say exactly when he’ll be able to compete with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for Grand Slams, because it will take time, but I have no doubt that it will happen at some point. With time and hard work, I’m certain he can compete with all the top players in the world. He’s young and has so much potential.

Thomas Enqvist added

Rune has confirmed he will compete at the Hamburg Open, an ATP 500 clay-court event set to start on May 16. Apart from him, other top players who are set to feature in the tournament are World No.3 Alexander Zverev and Flavio Cobolli.

Aneke Rune on son Holger Rune’s comeback

The last time Holger Rune competed was in October. It’s been more than five months since he has been sidelined, and this is why his mom, Aneke Rune, said that though his recovery has been going smoothly so far, it’s important not to rush his comeback.

If he had played a team sport where you could substitute, you’d probably have declared him ready by now. But in tennis, there are no substitutions, so we have to ensure that he can last for matches of up to five hours. So we’re chasing the last few percent now with strength and plyometric training.

Rune is the winner of three clay-court titles. Last year, apart from his Barcelona Open win, he also reached the final of the Indian Wells Masters but lost the match to Jack Draper.

Rune, the winner of five singles titles from 11 finals, did not have a great run on the clay swing last year, as, apart from his Barcelona Open win, he exited in the early rounds in the other tournaments on the surface. At the French Open, Lorenzo Musetti beat him in four sets in the fourth round.

The 22-year-old is a two-time quarterfinalist at Roland Garros, reaching the stage in 2022 and 2023. Rune, in fact, has never made it past the quarterfinals in Majors.

The lone Big Title that he has lifted in his career was the 2022 Paris Masters. He has also played three more finals in Masters 1000-level events, including at the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters (lost to Andrey Rublev) and the 2023 Italian Open (lost to Daniil Medvedev). Rune has never made the final of the Hamburg Open.

Also read: “Lack of Respect,” Jannik Sinner Suffers Backlash After Withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Doubles Draw

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