Holger Rune suffered a devastating injury in October 2025, tearing his Achilles tendon midway through his semi-final match at the Stockholm Open.
Rune, who recently criticised the ATP Tour schedule, suffered the injury while leading Ugo Humbert 6-4, 2-2 in Sweden.
The Danish star was understandably emotional and was assisted off court by the physio.
Rune has been remarkably upbeat following his injury, posting regular injury updates on social media.
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However, the Dane has admitted that he made a mistake in the lead-up to his brutal injury.
Holger Rune admits he played too many tournaments before suffering his Achilles injury
Speaking to Andy Roddick on the Served podcast, Rune began by reflecting upon his goals for the 2025 tennis season.
“There is always something to achieve, there is always a goal,” Rune said.
“My goal at the end of last season was to make it to Turin, but then before the Grand Slam, the goal is to win the Grand Slam, then before the Masters, it’s to win a Masters, so there is always something to chase.”
The Dane, who has won just one ATP title since 2023, admitted that he needs to listen to his body when he returns to competitive play and improve his scheduling habits.
“Sometimes it’s important just to accept, Ok, I’m feeling tired, which I did in Stockholm,” Rune continued.
“Let’s skip this week, let’s play Basel and Paris, do as good as possible, if I make it, I make it, if I don’t, I don’t, then we move on.
“In the future, one thing that is very important, is that I have to manage my schedule better, because what I did, playing Davis Cup, Laver Cup, Tokyo, Shanghai, Stockholm, it’s way too much, everywhere in the world.
“But when you’re feeling good, young, it’s like why not? But in the future, it’s just listening to my body, needing to be more aware and respectful to myself and how I feel.
“Because I did feel tired in Stockholm, came late from Shanghai, with almost a full body cramp in the last match in Shanghai. I was not recovered and was very fatigued.
“If I look back, yes I wanted to play, but in the future, I need to accept and understand my body better, because I would rather be playing Australia right now, rather than sitting at my desk.”
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Rune’s injury was truly shocking, a devastating blow to the career of a player who has so much potential.
Simply put, an Achilles injury is one of the worst injuries a player can suffer, and one can only hope that Rune is able to perform at a high level once again when he returns to the court.
Holger Rune’s fighting spirit could help him in the future
In 2022, Rune defeated four top 10 seeds on his way to the Paris Masters final: Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
In the final, Rune produced a remarkable performance to defeat Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
After the match, Djokovic praised the young Dane for his fighting spirit.
Djokovic said: “What impresses me the most about Holger is his fighting spirit.
“He stayed composed mentally until the last shot. Showing this composure and maturity in a big match like this at his age is very impressive.
“Holger defeated five top-10 players, and this is a week of his life. I had my chances in every set, but he came as a deserved winner. I did not use a 40-0 lead at the start of the second set, and those were the moments where the match went one way or another.
“I would have had a nice chance of beating him had I grabbed a break, but he managed to turn it around. The crowd got on his side and lifted him up.
“Holger was brave and went for his shots. I was not active enough with my feet, with uncharacteristic mistakes in the crucial moments.”
This fighting spirit will serve Rune well in his recovery. The Dane has displayed an excellent attitude following the injury, keeping fans well informed regarding his progress.
The Dane is a warrior, as demonstrated by his gritty response to suffering a potentially career-altering injury. If he continues to harness this attitude, he will surely succeed upon his return to the ATP Tour.
