‘I’m so driven to find a way’: Holger Rune on what it takes to beat Alcaraz and Sinner | US Open Tennis 2025

“MThere is to win as many great homes as possible and to be n ° 1 in the world, “says Holger Rune with cool insurance by a hot day in Cincinnati.” It’s very, very clear for me and it has always been like that since I was a child. “”

Dane, 22, is the world n ° 11 and he reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and, twice, the Open of France. As the US Open approaches, he has not yet made the last four of a Grand Colem, but his daring ambition seems more concrete when his impressive record against the two best players in the world is known. Rune played Carlos Alcaraz four times, winning twice, including a 7-6, 6-2 victory during their last meeting four months ago in the Barcelona Open final. He also beat Jannik Sinner twice in five games against each other.

Rune was again to face the sinner in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open, but, last Thursday, he underwent a direct defeat against Térence Atmane. The French qualifier, whose record of the ATP tour before Cincinnati presented only one victory in five games this year, described his tournament as “pretty crazy” because, before sending Rune, he also eliminated the world n ° 4, Taylor Fritz.

But the variable results of rune against lower players continue. “My problem is not to beat these guys,” he said about Alcaraz and sinner. “My problem is consistent to go deep in each tournament to have the chance to play them more often because I have the impression that this is where I raise my level. deliver it consistently.

Rune, which is as friendly off-terrain as possible that it can be intense and fuel in the matches, says “there were a few days when you say to yourself:” How is it going to be possible? “But I’m so motivated to find a way.

He explains that with his coach Lars Christensen, “we are trying to work very hard, but also very intelligent, to improve and remain really consistent. But this is the most difficult part and, basically, two players on tour at the moment are very consistent – Carlos and Jannik. Everyone lost early in tournaments here and there. ”

Rune is easy to interview and open up to the analysis of its challenges – which, according to him, is mainly mental. “It starts with the brain, knowing when you play well or, when you turn the match, why it happened so that you can do it again and it does not only happen by coincidence. I am a good tennis player, so of course, I’m going to have good weeks. But it’s about trying to assemble them – not just a few times but week after week.”

As part of his new Rune strategy met Andre Agassi last month. Agassi is a great former n ° 1 in the world that has won each of the four Grand Chelem tournaments and eight in total. The 55 -year -old American is an unconventional and deep thinker whose romantic relationship with tennis could not alleviate his tactical meaning. It is an intriguing decision of Rune. He works again with Christensen, who led him as a junior and at different stages of his senior career, but his five years on tour have been marked by a constant handyman.

Rune was also trained by Patrick Mouratoglou, who worked successfully with Serena Williams, and Boris Becker, winner of six Grand Slam as a player. There is no suggestion that Agassi will become his coach and, rather, an informal relationship seems to help Rune. They worked together for three days in Washington DC and, since then, Agassi and Rune have spoken or sent before or after his games.

“It was my idea,” confirms Rune. “I contacted him after the French Open and I thought it would be really interesting to hear his point of view on my game. We talked on the phone for a long time and decided to do a few days together at DC. He sees tennis in a very unique way and I had good information on my game.

“It is such a legend with a deep understanding of tennis and how to win. So, for him to share this with me, we are incredible. We are still in touch and we talk after my matches on the phone and it helps to hear his thoughts. ”

Does Agassi believe that Rune is a future winner of the Grand Chelem? “Yes. He said it very clearly. He knows all my goals and said they were very feasible. But it is more important to make it happen than hearing it. The belief is the most important word. I think I can do it and, I am sure, over time, I will do it.”

Alcaraz was born six days after Rune, in May 2003, while Sinner was two years older at 24. The Spaniard won five slams, the first US Open in 2022, and the Italian has four in his name, from the Australian Open of last year. “Carlos is by far the one who does it fastest. When Jannik won his first slam, he was now my age – 22 years old. So, I did something crazy perfectly.

Who is more difficult to beat – Sinner or Alcaraz? “I have always found more comfortable to play Jannik because it gives more rhythm, playing more the same photos. With Carlos, there is so much variety. You give him an opportunity and he will drop or hit the lower level or something different. It is unpredictable, which makes it more difficult. equal.”

Rune is friendly with the two but in particular Alcaraz because, when they were 12 years old, they became double partners in a junior tournament and reached the semi-finals. “He has always been a nice guy,” said Rune, “and we’re good friends now.”

His Alcaraz defeat in Barcelona deepened Rune’s belief. “Obviously, I had nerves but I was delighted to play this match. The first set was a great battle. I had a few set points at 5-4 but I won a big break in equality and then I had more and more momentum and I had an excellent second set. Beating Carlos in the final was an incredible feeling. The only boring thing is that I was not always doing enough in the next tournament. ”

His mother, Aneke, followed each lap and turn. She is often alongside her out of the field and almost always in her box during the matches. She sometimes has a desperate need for another cigarette, because her desire to win seems to be as deep as that of her son. Rune smiles at this observation. “Sure. This is the whole project since the age of six when I said to him: “I want to win the Grand Slam and be n ° 1 in the world. She was like: “OK, I will try to do everything for you, so it’s possible.” “”

Tennis remains a dark sport in Denmark and has received little support from the National Federation. “Fortunately, my mother [water cooler] The company therefore made it easier to take time and travel. But tennis is very expensive and at a lower level, you had to pay for your hotel and your food. My mom and father sacrificed their time, their money, their life for me. I have the impression that I owe them everything.

How did his mother help him the most? “With my state of mind. It was essentially the person who helped me get the killer instinct. It is very demanding but in a good way and very favorable and very loving. I think that is what makes her a great parent – not only to be nice all the time but also to be honest. ”

Life on tour can be difficult and rune says, almost nonchalantly, that he and other players receive death threats on social networks “all the time. After each match you lose, on paper, you should have won, it happens.”

The threats are made by “people are betting on the games and it’s just not nice. People threaten you and your family and talk about very direct things, it’s really uncomfortable. It’s something that is really bad with social media … [and] It is dangerous in some respects.

Having reached the final at Indian Wells in March, where he lost to Jack Draper, the rest of 2025 was uneven. But who else has the potential to challenge the duopoly of the sinner Alcaraz? “This is a great question. I would not have thought much of that. I want to see how Arthur films are developing because it has a big forehand, a big reverse, a great physical.” The 21-year-old woman withdrew from the United States Open with a stress fracture on the back. “He has many elements in his game and I am curious to see how he will do, but otherwise I don’t know at the moment.”

What about draper, the world n ° 5 that reached the US US semi-finals last year? “He has a big match but I don’t want to say like, oh, he can or he can’t, because everything is possible. But it’s difficult because if you want to win a slam, you may have to beat Jannik and Carlos and maybe Novak and he always plays well in big tournaments. It’s difficult.”

The first Rune US match in 2021 was against Djokovic. But even at 18, he doesn’t seem intimidated and won the second set. “Maybe I knew I could win,” he said with a smile. “Obviously, I was crazy nervous because it was my first time in a big stadium and then play perhaps the greatest of all time. It was trying nerves but so exciting. In the first set, I was shaking a little but after winning the second, I thought immediately:” Ok, I can beat this guy. “But my physique was not great at the time.

He has undergone other defeats in the first round in his last two appearances in the United States. “I have not played very well in recent years in New York,” admits Rune while attention comes back to his recurring aspirations of the Grand Slam. “But it’s a tournament that I always wanted to win and I always want to win. I’m ready to do much better.”