Holger Rune backed to ‘compete with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for Grand Slams’ after ‘incredibly sad’ injury

Holger Rune has been backed to one day compete with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for Grand Slams as he prepares to return from a serious injury.

The Danish player has pencilled in the Hamburg Open next month as his comeback tournament, five months on from him tearing his Achilles tendon at the Stockholm Open.

While still only 22, it remains to be seen what kind of player will return after such a long injury but Swedish coach Thomas Enqvist believes Rune can challenge the dominant two in men’s tennis.

“I love watching him play. He’s super athletic and moves fantastically,” the former player told SpilXperten. “He has great variety in his game, and again I want to highlight his unique character. He always works hard, and people appreciate that.

“That’s why he’s so popular. He shows a lot of emotion, and personally I think he’s a very entertaining player to watch. I’m really looking forward to seeing him in Hamburg.

“Of course, I have great belief that he can return to his very best level—and even surpass it. He’s still so young and has a long future ahead of him. I’m absolutely convinced that he can come back and compete with the very best players in the world for the biggest titles.

“It’s still difficult to say exactly when he’ll be able to compete with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for Grand Slams, because it will take time, but I have no doubt that it will happen at some point. With time and hard work, I’m certain he can compete with all the top players in the world. He’s young and has so much potential.”

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As for the injury itself, Enqvist described it as “incredibly sad to witness” but revealed how Rune has been rehabbing.

“It was incredibly sad to witness when he got injured. Holger was playing fantastic tennis that week, and he’s extremely popular here in Stockholm, also because he has won the tournament before.

“You’re left waiting for answers afterward, and when I found out what kind of injury it was, I was genuinely upset. Once it became clear how serious it was, I felt very sad—especially for Holger, who was in a really tough situation.”

“People were looking forward to seeing him in the final as well, so of course it wasn’t enjoyable in any way, but above all, it was terrible for Holger.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with his rehabilitation, but I haven’t been surprised at all. Holger has a fantastic mindset. He’s an incredibly strong character and very hungry. He has always worked very hard. It’s truly remarkable that he has been able to come back so quickly from such a serious injury. You could really sense how eager he was to return.

“He has done everything in his power to come back as strong and as quickly as possible. That’s very impressive, but it also reflects his personality, which is exceptionally strong.

“It seems like he’s in very good hands, surrounded by a strong team. He’s also had highly skilled doctors supporting him, but the most important thing during rehabilitation is that you are 100% committed yourself—and he has been. There’s no doubt about that.

“You could see from day one how serious he was about coming back stronger and as quickly as possible. He appears to have a naturally healthy body that helps him, and he has made a lot of very good decisions throughout his recovery. Over the past six months, he has made many excellent choices, so both he and his team deserve great credit for that.

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