Boris Becker makes feelings clear on Holger Rune after Jim Courier’s ‘very immature game’ claim
Holger Rune’s former coach Boris Becker has supported Jim Courier’s criticism that the Dane’s game is “very immature.”
Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion, coached Rune briefly between October 2023 and February this year.
The German legend was in Rune’s box at the Swiss Indoors, the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals in Turin last year, but he did not travel to the 2024 Australian Open before the pair’s split.
Rune was defeated 6-3, 7-6(4) by eventual winner Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals of the Paris Masters last week. It was the world No 11’s final event of the 2024 season.
Speaking on Tennis Channel during Rune’s loss to Zverev, four-time major champion Courier identified the lack of clarity in Rune’s approach as something that is holding him back.
“I, for one, have no idea what he’s trying to do out here. It’s just all happening instinctively – it’s like a full-blown jazz exploration out here. No rhyme, no rhythm,” the former world No 1 said.
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“There’s a lot of great things happening, it’s just all scattershot and that is not a recipe for long-term success. It’s still a very immature game.
“If he wants to be with the big boys consistently, he’s gonna have to find something he can rely on rather than throwing paint against the wall and seeing what it looks like when it’s all said and done.
“He just needs a sense of order – doesn’t have it.”
In reply to a tweet sharing Courier’s quotes, Becker revealed he agreed with the American’s assessment.
The six-time Grand Slam winner wrote: “Jim knows what he’s talking about!”
Rune has finished the 2024 campaign with a 45-23 record, which gives him a solid season win rate of 66.2%.
The 21-year-old Dane has not won a title since securing his fourth career title in Munich in April 2023. His only final this year was at the Brisbane International in January, where he lost to Grigor Dimitrov, while he lost in the semi-finals at seven events.
Last month, Rune reunited with his childhood coach Lars Christensen, who he had parted ways with last year. As well as Becker, Rune has worked with Severin Luthi, Patrick Mouratoglou, Kenneth Carlsen and Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh this year.
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