'My problem is not beating those guys' - Holger Rune on if the rise of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz has hindered his progress

Once touted as a future World No.1, tennis star Holger Rune has not lived up to the expectations. The Danish player has struggled with form in recent months, despite enjoying a brilliant run during his early years on the ATP Tour.

With the 2025 US Open approaching, Rune is hoping to leave his mark at the event. The World No.11 has never made it to the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament, with his best performances being quar terfinal appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2023.

Rune's biggest title came in 2022, when he defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic to win the Paris Masters tournament. His victory saw him break into the top 10, with Rune reaching his career-high of World No.4 the following year.

However, Rune would undergo a slump in form as he failed to go far in ATP Masters 1000 events and Grand Slams. Additionally, the ascension of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz has made it difficult for most ATP stars to get their hands on a big trophy.

Rune believes he can compete with the two best players in the world

The 22-year old has faced Alcaraz on four o ccasions, winning two of them. Conversely, he trails Sinner 2-3 in career meetings. Having recorded wins against the top two players on tour, Rune believes he has what it takes to topple the dominant duo.

“My problem is not beating those guys,” said Rune on Alcaraz and Sinner. “My problem is being consistent in going deep in every tournament to get a chance to play them more often because I feel like that’s where I raise my level.
" It’s very clear that when Carlos and Jannik play each other they raise their level. You push each other like crazy and this is a very exciting element of the sport. So having a good head-to-head against them, and also in the beginning against Novak Djokovic when he was on top, makes me know I can do it. It’s just about delivering it consistently."

Rune, who has been coached by Patrick Mouratoglou and Boris Becker, is currently under the tutelage of Lars Christensen. However, the young star met with tennis great Andre Agassi last month in an attempt to modify his strategy. Although Agassi has not agreed to be part of Rune's coaching camp, it will be interesting to see if their meeting will yield any results at next week's US Open.