Holger Rune has been making significant strides as he aims to conclude his 2025 season strongly. After an early exit at Wimbledon, where he lost in the first round to Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, Rune traveled to Washington to train with tennis legend Andre Agassi ahead of the Washington Open. Although he had to withdraw from the tournament due to a back injury, the Danish player shared fresh insights from his sessions with the eight-time Grand Slam champion.
Rune recently discussed what stood out to him during their time together, revealing fresh perspectives on tennis that Agassi offered. His experience in Washington provided not only technical advice but also a rare chance to connect with someone as passionate about the sport as himself.
Uncovering Agassi’s Unique Approach to Tennis Strategy
In an interview with Dutch media outlet Ziggo Sport, Rune was asked about any surprising moments while training with Agassi. He recounted a specific practice set scenario where Agassi accurately predicted an opponent’s serve placement, illustrating the American’s deep understanding of game patterns and strategy.
“A few things I was surprised by, I was playing a practice set, we had new balls, and my opponent was serving, he was like ‘how much do you want to bet that he’s going to go wide now?’,”
Rune explained.
“I said, ‘I actually do not, because I think so too,’ he did end up going wide, it’s interesting the way he sees the game, also the way he sees tiebreaks.”
He added,
“I don’t want to tell everybody his secrets that he told me, but there were a few things where I was surprised by how he saw it.”
Rune described the time spent with Agassi as enriching, highlighting the American’s excitement for tennis as something truly special. He underscored the rarity of meeting someone who shares such a deep passion for the sport.
“It was a really nice experience to share the court with him for a couple of days in DC, and I learned a lot, in how he sees the game and how he sees my game, and how we can try to make tennis easier on my side of the court,”
said Rune.
“He had some good tips about returning. He was an amazing returner, I’m a good returner, so we could share some info with each other, which was really nice. His excitement for tennis is spectacular. It’s really cool to speak to someone who is as into tennis as I am. I think that’s pretty rare.”
He also reflected on the importance of discussing tennis beyond the court.
“I feel like people always say when you’re off the court, you shouldn’t talk tennis, you should switch your mind off. I agree to a degree, but I also think it’s really important to share these thoughts that we players have in our minds.”
Describing Agassi’s personality during the sessions, Rune praised his ability to listen and provide guidance.
“He’s an amazing listener first of all, and he’s very good at giving advice, so I was very pleased to share those days with him.”
Key Advice from Agassi on Playing More Efficient Tennis
One crucial piece of guidance from Agassi centered on managing Rune’s power and style of play. Agassi encouraged him to slow down the game on his side of the court and focus on using his strengths more efficiently rather than relying solely on raw power.
“What he was trying to explain to me is that he wanted to make tennis slower on my side, and thought I could make things a lot easier with my power and my quality of shots; he felt that I didn’t need to do as much as I sometimes try to do,”
Rune shared.
He added,
“There’s always a balance, tennis is really strong these days, so you cannot leave the advantage to the other players, it’s a very fine balance.”
While it remains to be seen how effectively Rune can integrate this advice into his game, the experience should offer valuable insights as he prepares for upcoming tournaments.
Holger Rune’s Upcoming Challenge at the Canadian Open
With the withdrawals of top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Rune enters the Canadian Open seeded fifth, aiming to secure his second Masters 1000 title. Despite a challenging draw, including tough opponents in later rounds, Rune remains confident as he takes on the competition in Toronto.
His potential path to the title involves matches against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the second round on July 29, followed by Alexandre Muller, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, and potentially Taylor Fritz in the final. This demanding sequence will require Rune to overcome multiple top-tier players consecutively.
- Second Round – Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
- Third Round – Alexandre Muller
- Fourth Round – Daniil Medvedev
- Quarterfinal – Alexander Zverev
- Semifinal – Lorenzo Musetti
- Final – Taylor Fritz
Rune’s proven ability to triumph against elite opponents was on display when he won his first Masters 1000 title in Paris, overcoming five top-ten players including Novak Djokovic and then-world number one Carlos Alcaraz. This history showcases his capability to compete at the highest level.
Still, Rune remains grounded, focusing first on his immediate match against Perricard as he continues to build momentum. His training session with Andre Agassi and the lessons learned from the legend may play a key role as he seeks success in Canada and beyond.