Photo Source: Tony Chang Photography
Indian Wells, California – Holger Rune was neck-and-neck with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in 2022, after a breakout run to the Paris Masters title 2021, he made a trip to the Monte-Carlo and Rome finals, then powered into the last eight at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.
Sitting at No.4 in the World at the 2022 US Open, most had him pegged as a future icon of the sport.
It hasn’t exactly turned out that way – yet.
Rune hasn’t lost faith in his ambitions, and he hasn’t stopped loving the sport even if he hasn’t been inside the ATP’s Top-10 since last April. Instead he is embracing the lessons that the sport hands to him, and working to shore up the deficiencies that have held him back. “I have learned my lessons,” he said on Tuesday after taking out Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4. “Things don't happen without a reason. I think every player deserves to be where they are, so I deserve to be at my ranking. Whoever is at their ranking deserves it, because it's about making results, but at the same time improving your game and having stability.”
Rather than hang his head, Rune is full of belief. He knows he’s making strides that have yet to be translated to the match court.
“I don't believe I have become a worse player the last two years,” he said. “I actually think the opposite. I think I have become a better all-around player. Mentally I feel good right now. I feel very composed on the court, and yeah, I'm just going day by day.”
Now at No.13 in the ATP rankings, Rune can take that number higher if he continues to progress at Indian Wells. He will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the semifinals on Thursday.
No matter the result, the love of the game still burns brightly in the 21-year-old. Ultimately, given how breathtaking his talents are, it should take higher – much higher.
For now, he continues to strive, absorbing the lessons and aiming higher.
“When you have these expectations and you don't quite live up to them, of course it's disappointing,” he said, adding: “It's very basic and it's very maybe boring to say, but I just love tennis. So even not being satisfied with my results, I still love to go down to the practice court and hit forehands, backhands, work on my shots, my physicality.
“I think I'm living my dream, and definitely it's a nicer feeling when it also goes together on the match court,” he said. “But as I said, I think this is mental, and I think I have managed to do that better in this tournament… The tournament isn't over yet. So I am just going to stay in the moment.”