Holger Rune is expected to finally make his return to tennis at the Cincinnati Open.
The Dane suffered a heartbreaking Achilles injury at last year’s Stockholm Open and has been recovering on the sidelines ever since.
Rune had hoped to return as early as the Hamburg Open in May, but thought better of it, delaying his return until the hard-court season.
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With his return less than a month away, what better time than now to review Rune’s record before he suffered the injury last October.
Holger Rune’s record in 2025 before he suffered long-term injury
Holger Rune’s 2025 record (34-20)
| Event number | Tournament | Performance | Match wins | Defeat |
| 1 | Brisbane International | First round | 0 | Jiri Lehecka |
| 2 | Australian Open | Fourth round | 3 (Zhang Zhizhen, Matteo Berrettini, Miomir Kecmanovic) | Jannik Sinner |
| 3 | Rotterdam Open | Second round | 1 (Lorenzo Sonego) | Pedro Martinez |
| 4 | Argentina Open | Second round | 0 | Mariano Navone |
| 5 | Mexican Open | Second round | 1 (Roberto Carballes Baena) | Brandon Nakashima |
| 6 | Indian Wells | Final | 5 (Corentin Moutet, Ugo Humbert, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Tallon Griekspoor, Daniil Medvedev) | Jack Draper |
| 7 | Miami Open | Second round | 0 | Reilly Opelka |
| 8 | Monte Carlo Masters | First round | 0 | Nuno Borges |
| 9 | Barcelona Open | Champion | 5 (Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Sebastian Baez, Casper Ruud, Karen Khachanov, Carlos Alcaraz) | 0 |
| 10 | Madrid Open | Second round | 0 | Flavio Cobolli |
| 11 | Italian Open | Third round | 1 (Francisco Comesana) | Corentin Moutet |
| 12 | French Open | Fourth round | 3 (Roberto Bautista Agut, Emilio Nava, Quentin Halys) | Lorenzo Musetti |
| 13 | Queen’s Club Championships | Quarter-final | 2 (Christopher O’Connell, Mackenzie McDonald) | Roberto Bautista Agut |
| 14 | Wimbledon | First round | 0 | Nicolas Jarry |
| 15 | Canadian Open | Fourth round | 2 (Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Alexandre Muller) | Alexei Popyrin |
| 16 | Cincinnati Open | Quarter-final | 3 (Roman Safiullin, Alex Michelsen, Frances Tiafoe) | Terence Atmane |
| 17 | US Open | Second round | 1 (Botic van de Zandschulp) | Jan-Lennard Struff |
| 18 | Laver Cup | Lost | 0 | Francisco Cerundolo |
| 19 | Japan Open | Quarter-final | 2 (Hamad Medjedovic, Ethan Quinn) | Jenson Brooksby |
| 20 | Shanghai Masters | Quarter-final | 3 (Sebastian Baez, Ugo Humbert, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard) | Valentin Vacherot |
| 21 | Stockholm Open | Semi-final | 2 (Marton Fucsovics, Tomas Martin Etcheverry) | Ugo Humbert |
Rune’s 2025 season actually began in 2024, in December, at the Brisbane International.
There, he lost his opening match to the eventual champion Jiri Lehecka.
The Dane found his footing in Melbourne, where he pushed Jannik Sinner into deep waters in their fourth-round match, but again came up short against the player who went on to win the title.
Underwhelming Rotterdam Open and Argentina Open campaigns followed, before Rune bounced back in style at Indian Wells.
Rune defeated several big names, including Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev, to qualify for his first Masters 1000 final in two years.
He was unable to add to his Masters 1000 tally, suffering a heavy defeat to Jack Draper in the final, but it wasn’t long before he was back fighting for a title.
Rune reached the Barcelona Open final in April, where he produced a statement win over Carlos Alcaraz.
Some wondered if Rune would build on that result and challenge for the French Open title, but it wasn’t to be.
Rune didn’t reach another final in 2025, although he did make four more quarter-finals and the semi-finals in Stockholm, where he picked up the injury.
The 23-year-old’s 2025 season was inconsistent, to say the least, as he showed signs of promise at times, but also went winless at seven events.
What’s most noticeable is the sheer number of tournaments Rune entered.
Playing 21 events in 21 different cities around the world is going to put a strain on your body.
Rune found that out the hard way when he injured his Achilles at the Stockholm Open, an event he entered just days after travelling to Sweden from Shanghai.
Will Holger Rune definitely return in Cincinnati?
Rune is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open, although it’s far from certain that we will see him compete in Ohio.
If he doesn’t play in Cincinnati, he may return at the US Open, where he lost in the second round a year ago.
Rune would have an opportunity to jump up the rankings in New York with big points on offer, something he is in desperate need of, having dropped out of the top 50.
Official ATP Rankings
- 78. Luca Van Assche – 755 points
- 79. Mattia Bellucci – 751 points
- 80. Holger Rune – 750 points
- 81. Alex Molcan – 747 points
- 82. James Duckworth – 746 points
It is, however, important to temper expectations, as Rune prepares to come back from a serious injury.
He may not be back to his best for some time, so making deep runs at Grand Slams might be too much to ask.
The 2026 Cincinnati Open begins on Thursday, August 13, before the US Open starts on Sunday, August 30.
