Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune is one of the great sensations of Roland Garrosespecially after eliminate the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday in the round of 16, number four in the world. The 19-year-old Dane will play today (20:45, Eurosport) against the Norwegian Casper Ruud, in a Nordic duel for a place in the semi-finals.
Until the end of last April, Rune was a tennis player with a long name, smiling and with good manners, who lost more games than he won. In 2021 he was seen at the NextGen ATP Finals, where Carlos Alcaraz ran over hima generation mate with whom he had a good relationship due to his meetings in lower categories (in the French cadet tournament Les Petits As they paired doubles). Before, in the first round of the ATP 250 in Marbella, the South Korean Kwon got him out in the first round. But this year the dirt campaign came and everything changed for him. He was champion in Munich, after beating Zverev in his second match and Van de Zandschulp in the final. And made semi-finals in Lyon before planting himself in Paris without complexes, with a self-confidence that has taken him far. Shapovalov, Gaston and Laaksonen fell on him before Tsitsipas.
“I have a strong belief in myself. If I really focus and play my tennis, I can beat almost everyone,” says Holgerwhose first idol was Rafa Nadal, until Roger Federer took the number one from him and then he became his favorite. “I admire him so much for his game, his transition to net is very rare. At these stages, you mostly see players hitting from the line as hard as they can. Watching him play much more than just forehands and backhands, It’s inspiring. Also very useful for my game, because I try to compete not exactly like Roger, but using more shots.”
Rune is ambitious (“My ultimate goal is to be number one in the world,” he confesses without blushing) and has a very close relationship with his mother, Aneke, who always accompanies him. “She really knows me, she’s kind of a mental trainer (Lars Christensen is his tennis coach). It’s great to have her by my side”. fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and James Bond movies, studies Spanish and his secret talent is juggling. In Paris they do well. If he beats Ruud, a student at the Rafa Nadal Academy, his next rival will be the Croatian Cilic or the Russian Rublev, who meet at around 16:00.