Holger Rune had just lost one of the toughest matches of his career. He walked to the net, shook hands with his opponent, then the team captains.
But when the umpire reached out his hand, Rune pulled back and walked away.
The Danish star was pretty angry after his Denmark lost to Spain in the Davis Cup Qualifiers. And he wasn’t shy about explaining why he refused that handshake.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holger Rune | 22 | 2,540 | 22 - 12 |
Denmark was so close to something special
This was supposed to be Denmark’s year in the Davis Cup. They’d already beaten a strong Serbia team in the first round of the qualifiers.
Then they got some huge news – Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Spain’s team.
Suddenly, Denmark had a real shot at reaching the Final 8. And for most of the tie in Marbella, Spain, it looked like they’d pull it off.
Rune crushed Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-3 on day one. He was playing with a completely blacked-out racket that had everyone talking.
Elmer Moeller came through with an amazing comeback win too, beating Jaume Munar 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Denmark led 2-0 after day one. They were flying.
Everything started falling apart
Day two began perfectly. August Holmgren and Johannes Ingildsen dominated the first set of doubles 6-1.
Denmark was literally one set away from the Final 8.
But Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar weren’t done. They stormed back to win the doubles match 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Martinez didn’t even have time to rest. Spain threw him straight into a singles match against Rune.
It was a gutsy move that would pay off big time.
The match that had everything
Martinez came out swinging. He demolished Rune 6-1 in the first set and led 4-2 in the second.
But Rune’s never been someone who gives up easily. He won four straight games to take the second set 6-4.
The Spanish crowd was going absolutely crazy. They were loud, they were passionate, and according to Rune, they crossed some lines.
The third set was pure drama. Rune actually served for the match at 5-3 and had a match point.
He couldn’t close it out. Martinez fought back and won the deciding tiebreak 7-3.
Final score: 1-6, 6-4, 6-7(3) to Martinez.
That’s when the handshake drama happened.
Rune explains the snub
Talking to Danish journalist Nicholas Albek after the match, Rune didn’t hold back about what bothered him.
First, it was the Spanish crowd:
"I just thought that there’s a difference between Danish and Spanish manners. When we played against Serbia, the atmosphere was also absolutely amazing, but there was clearly more respect. There’s a bit of a difference in upbringing. There were some things today that were a bit unsportsmanlike, but I’ve experienced worse. That wasn’t what decided the match."
Pretty harsh words about the home crowd’s behavior.
But the umpire comments were even sharper.
When asked directly about refusing the handshake, Rune was blunt:
"He doesn’t deserve that. It’s pretty clear with so many mistakes. I don’t think it was very good work. So I don’t think he deserved it."
Spain completes the comeback
The tie wasn’t over yet. Pablo Carreno Busta still had to play Elmer Moeller in the deciding match.
Moeller couldn’t pull off another miracle. Carreno Busta won 6-2, 6-3 to flip the entire tie from 0-2 to 3-2.
Spain’s going to the Final 8. Denmark’s going home.
It’s a tough way to end what could’ve been a breakthrough Davis Cup run for the Danes. They had Spain on the ropes and couldn’t quite finish the job.
For Rune, it’s another reminder of how quickly things can change in team tennis. One bad service game, one tough crowd, one umpire you don’t trust – and suddenly your whole team’s dreams are over.
Spain will take their place in the Final 8, but they’ll do it knowing they nearly didn’t make it past a Danish team that’s clearly getting stronger.
