Holger Rune just got some devastating news that’ll change everything about his tennis career for the next several months.
The 22-year-old Danish star was having a pretty amazing comeback. He’d just fought his way back into the top 10 and was looking like his old self again.
Sure, he hadn’t been winning the big titles like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. But Rune was clearly on his way back to where everyone thought he belonged.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holger Rune | 22 | 2,540 | 22 - 12 |
Everything changed in one moment
At the Stockholm Open, things were going perfectly. Rune was up 6-4 and leading 2-2 in the second set against Ugo Humbert in the semifinals.
One more win and he would’ve faced Casper Ruud in an all-Nordic final.
Then disaster struck. During a rally in the fifth game of the second set, Rune suddenly felt something go wrong. The pain hit him immediately.
Within minutes, he was sitting on the court in tears, talking to a doctor about what had just happened to his body.
It looked like an Achilles injury. The kind that can derail a career.
Rune had to retire from the match right there. His mom Aneke told reporters she expected her son might need surgery and could be out for three to six months.
The worst-case scenario becomes reality
Everyone was hoping it wouldn’t be as bad as it first appeared.
But on Sunday, October 19th, Rune confirmed everyone’s fears. He’s going to need surgery.
That means he’ll miss the first half of the upcoming season. Maybe more.
"It’s gonna be a while before I can step on the court again. It’s tough. I had so much joy on court in Stockholm, and it’s unbearable to think that I will not feel this energy for some time now. My Achilles is fully broken on the proximal part, meaning I need an operation already next week and from here rehabilitation."
Fully broken. Those are the words no athlete ever wants to hear about any part of their body.
The surgery is scheduled for next week. Then comes the long road back.
Fellow players are pointing fingers at the ATP
Rune’s injury has sparked a pretty heated debate about the tennis calendar.
Jack Draper posted about it online, with Taylor Fritz jumping in to agree. Both guys are saying the schedule is just too demanding and injuries like this are bound to happen.
But it was Casper Ruud who really laid it out there. The Norwegian, who would’ve been Rune’s opponent in that Stockholm final, didn’t hold back when talking to reporters.
"It’s incredibly hard to hear. It looked really bad, and I know he’s going to be tested tomorrow, but I’ve also heard that he heard a distinct sound, which is a really bad sign."
That "distinct sound" is what every tennis player dreads. It usually means something has snapped completely.
"This type of injury is something you really can’t control, so it’s just extremely unfortunate. Tennis is a brutal sport, and as a player, you don’t want to miss several months."
The schedule is pushing players too hard
Ruud didn’t stop there. He pointed out something that’s been bothering a lot of players lately.
"He’s still very young, so he has a long career ahead of him, so I hope he can come back strong quickly. I think tennis has now reached a point where everything moves so fast, and you have to be physically ready for every single match."
The demands on modern tennis players are pretty insane when you think about it. These guys are traveling from continent to continent, playing on different surfaces, dealing with time zones and climate changes.
"I’m not saying it wasn’t physical in the past, but I’m sometimes a bit surprised by how much it takes from your body to be able to play tennis."
Ruud pointed out that Rune had just been in Shanghai the week before Stockholm. That’s literally halfway around the world.
"It’s very demanding when you go straight from tournament to tournament. Holger was in Shanghai last week, and when something is that demanding, then unfortunately things like this can happen."
Every match is a risk
What’s really striking is how Ruud talked about the constant danger players face just by stepping on court.
"We’re all in a kind of risk zone when we step out on the court, but whether his injury is directly related to the tough schedule, I’m not sure. In a way, all injuries are because of the tough schedule."
That’s a pretty damning statement about the current state of professional tennis.
The timing makes it even worse. Rune was still in the hunt for the ATP Finals – one of the biggest tournaments of the year. He was pushing his body to the limit trying to qualify.
"Of course it’s tough, and we’re really pushing our own limits to the maximum at the moment. Holger was one of those who still had a chance to make it to the ATP Finals, so his limit was definitely pushed too, and then it’s just really unfortunate that it ends this way for him."
What’s next for Rune
The good news? Rune is only 22. In tennis terms, that’s still pretty young, especially for someone who’s already proven he can compete at the highest level.
The surgery next week will determine a lot about his recovery timeline. Achilles injuries are tricky – they can take anywhere from six months to over a year to fully heal, depending on how severe the tear is.
For now, Rune’s just focusing on getting through the operation and starting his rehabilitation. His fans will have to wait a while to see that joy he talked about feeling on court in Stockholm.
But if there’s one thing we know about top athletes, it’s that they usually find a way to come back stronger than before.
