Rune blog: Roland Garros was amazing, now it's time for Wimbledon | ITF
Article 27 Jun 2022

Rune blog: Roland Garros was amazing, now it's time for Wimbledon

27 Jun 2022

Welcome to the latest instalment of Holger Rune's blog. The 19-year-old is a former junior world No. 1, who was crowned Roland Garros boys' champion in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, he received ITF International Junior Player Grants to help with competition-related costs, reflecting the level of his potential. He is making huge strides within the game and earlier this month reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros. Holger is writing regular pieces for the ITF and providing insight into his tennis journey. Follow his progress here.

Every year brings new challenges, and this is what I love about tennis.

As you know, I work with goals. I like goals because they challenge me, and I like challenges. I like to push my limits even though its sometimes very tough.

The feeling of being better and in control is great but, in the end, I get a bigger kick out of pushing myself to another level. And 2022 is all about that.

Last year, I made my Grand Slam debut at the US Open. I went through qualifying and ended up with Novak Djokovic as my first-round opponent. This experience is still something that gives me goosebumps. The atmosphere at the US Open, the energy, the big stage – I loved it.

At this year’s Australian Open, I earned direct entry to a Grand Slam main draw for the first time and had my first five-set match, against Soonwoo Kwon. This too was good learning and an eye opener for what is needed in terms of physical practice.

I clearly needed more muscles and endurance to feel on top. Since then, I have worked a lot physically and for me that also meant greater mental control, and led to my first ATP title in Munch in April, two days after my 19th birthday.

All my first major wins in juniors were on clay so it seemed fitting to claim my first ATP title on clay as well.

As you also know, I have very high expectations. It’s rare that I enter a tournament thinking, ‘this is impossible’. I am realistic enough to see that it could be extremely difficult, but I always believe it’s possible.

It’s an important mindset to think everything is possible, although it does deny me the right to be an underdog which on occasions could make the world a little easier and allow me to just let go, relax and see what happens.

After Munich, my next serious challenge was my first main draw Roland Garros. This tournament is very special to me because I won it in juniors in 2019 and I have very much looked forward to going back.

I tried to get a good enough ranking last year to enter qualifying, but I didn’t manage it. That hurt a lot, but I worked my way up the rankings in 2021 and 2022 and this year earned my spot.

Entering Roland Garros, I simply felt at home there the minute I stepped on the practice courts.

The courts there are the best clay courts in the world – they are all alike in terms of quality and the sound when you hit the ball is so sweet. No words can describe this sound and feeling. On all courts, even the practice courts, I got a little high of happiness.

As usual, however, I had a horribly tough draw. I was drawn against Denis Shapovalov in the first round before playing Henri Laaksonen, who had beaten me twice in the previous six months, in the second.

Then came Hugo Gaston, the ultimate French favourite, a very good friend of mine and someone who can be extremely dangerous in the big French tournaments.

After beating Hugo, I faced Stefanos Tsitsipas, another good friend and the world No. 4 before going up against current world No. 6 Casper Ruud – the Nordic Rafa on clay. All top players and that was just to reach the quarter-finals!

But, as I said before, I always believe that everything is possible, and I think this mindset helps me a lot. It is not easy, but this is the challenge and it is at times like that, at Roland Garros, when I must push my limits to succeed.

I had some spectacular matches during Roland Garros and I absolutely loved it – Grand slams have a special atmosphere. Unfortunately, I just had no energy left in the quarter-final.

I managed to push the match to four sets, but it was 1.30am, I already had a twisted ankle and the previous matches had been very challenging. I simply didn’t have enough left to reach the semi-finals.

However, Roland Garros will make my heartbeat quickly for many, many years to come and I can’t wait to go back and make finals there in the future.

Now I am at Wimbledon and it’s another first – my first Wimbledon as a professional. I have not been here since the 2019 Junior Championships when I reached the third round.

I felt I did well on grass in juniors. The weeks before the 2019 Junior Championships, I reached the semi-finals at J1 Roehampton.

Considering I had come directly from a lot of clay-court events – I won J1 Beaulieu-sur-Mer, J1 Santa Croce Sull’Arno and the Roland Garros Junior Championships, those were some good results on grass. Of course, at the time I wanted more, but looking back it was okay.

As always, I have high expectations in terms of doing well at Wimbledon. I think my game suits grass well and I have also improved my serve a lot, both in terms of variation and precision, which will be very important.

I have had no wins on grass in professional tennis so far. This could, maybe should, lower my expectations for Wimbledon but somehow I can’t accept that I cannot be good on this surface.

Entering Wimbledon, I feel I can do well. Clearly, I am not a grass-court specialist as this is my first year on grass, but I intend to do my very best to become one. I have had a lot of practice here and my game feels better and better.

I am very excited to start on Tuesday – I face American Marcos Giron in the first round. I feel good and normally when I feel good somewhere, I do well.

Wimbledon, let's get started!

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